Why not? It doesn't seem like an impossibility at all, i.e. that we would learn what meanings other species attach to sound patterns. Computing should make this a breeze ( eventually, not within the next year though)- which just <i>might</i> expose us to a few surprises regarding the capabilities of other species.<p>To some extent we already understand a lot: quite a few birds use one song to to attract mates, another protect territory, and another to warn off intruders. The not unreasonable expectation is that a universal inter-species translator would reveal that the more intelligent animals (corvids, dolphins and whales, octopuses) convey a more nuanced meaning in their communication.