How did andalites get thought-speak?

[Green armadillo ette]

How did andalites get thought-speak?  Simple as that.

[Chad32]

You might say the Ellemist gave it to them, but some form of telepathy seems to be somewhat common in the galaxy.

They have thoughtspeech because they just do. Why not?

[RYTX]

Well, I think we all know I'm gonna say this, and I refuse to except that answer And here's why
1)got dammit the ellimist did not develop everyone and everything down to the last detail in the ani-verse., no dammit no no no *rambles*
2)Now, for a more rationale, and less hostile reason:  If memory serves, the ellimist used it totally by accident the first time, and sign language was still common for andalites when he left there.
I think it was an innately andalite trait, he was just the first to tap into it.

As to how they got it: well evolution's a trip like that. I can't really imagine the physio or physics behind it
but yeah, they just got it and kept it. All I can think of

[Chad32]

Explaining something as the Ellemist did it is pretty cheap, so I understand if you don't like that idea. Saying he did it is equivelant to saying I don't know, and there's no clear answer.

A more sensible answer is that they just evolved that way, since they obviously don't have mouths to speak vocally and having andalites only speak via sign language would be lame.

Though it would be interesting if Ax did know sign language.

[Phoenix004]

Andalites have been around a lot longer than humans, so we can only assume that their brains have had more time to evolve and eventually unlock telepathic abilities.

[goom]

telepathy
evolution does crazy things. well, that and the ellimist.

[Green armadillo ette]

I am thinkin' the Ellimist, had a hand in andalite evolution.  As per the big Mega-being game, the Ellimist got first dibs on andalites as a species, having had lived with them and had kids n' all.  So to help his team, he gave telepathy to his non-descendent andalites.  That's assuming that kids got it.  As for how the Ellimist got telepathy, it could have been a screw-up that he made.

[CounterInstinct]

^
No, If you read the Ellimist Chronicles, you'll find that Andalites once used sign language. The Ellimist accidentally used thought speak on them, and eventually, they learned how to use it too.

Who knows, it's might be the same as us humans. Maybe we can use telepathy too. It's already in our bodies. We just didin't know it was there.

[Terenia]

^
No, If you read the Ellimist Chronicles, you'll find that Andalites once used sign language. The Ellimist accidentally used thought speak on them, and eventually, they learned how to use it too.

Who knows, it's might be the same as us humans. Maybe we can use telepathy too. It's already in our bodies. We just didin't know it was there.

I don't think that's exactly correct. One of the first things the Ellimist describes about being an Andalite is how the others are able to send out a telepathic sort emotional feeling to him. It isn't true telepathy, but it is the evolutionary beginnings of such a thing. The Ellimist uses thought-speak, but I think all the Andalites actually perceive is, again, an emotional quality, not actual words.