What do you call it when you intentionally speak softly or quietly? Whispering! It is also the word for a special ability to train animals using gentle communication techniques. Though the phrase “horse whispering” dates back to 19th century Europe, it did not come in to popular use until the movie, called The Horse Whisperer, came out in 1998. Since that time, the term whispering has been used to describe any animal training method which is based on a sympathetic understanding of an animal’s natural instincts. Have you seen a YouTube video about a lion whisperer, who hugs wild lions? Or how about a shark whisperer from Hawaii, whose hands are on the dorsal fin of a great white shark? They seem to have a supernatural gift for it. Besides wild animals, people also apply the techniques to little humans. One popular TV show features a baby whisperer, a woman who teaches parents how to comfort, calm, and communicate with unmanageable toddlers.