@wafflehead , I gather you reject the notion of talking snakes.
Snakes make a range of sounds from hissing to growling. Different snakes have different capabilities, and some can even shriek.
Studies show that reptiles use different sound mechanisms, and they occur in various species.
Think about how you create intelligible speech by using your mouth parts to modulate the sounds produced by your larynx.
Now think about how you create intelligible whispers by using your mouth parts to modulate the sound of simply your exhaled breath.
A puppeteer can control the limbs of his puppet and create the illusion of a small being.
Imagine an entity far superior to you who could somehow control the mouth parts of a snake to modulate its various sounds.
Can you see how such an entity might be able to use a snake as a living puppet to create intelligible speech and the illusion of a talking snake?
