My youngest daughter is almost 17 months old and doesn't speak much English.  She babbles and squeals, but very little beyond 'Mama' and 'Dad' is understandable.  It is because of this that she has developed some rather quirky and entertaining methods of expressing herself.
    First of all, she flicks her ears when she's mad.  I don't know why a person would do this, because if I was mad flicking myself in the ears would anger me all the more.  But she gets her point across and I prefer it to the screeching, so we just accept it and move on.  
    Now on to more specific items.  The new one today was:  she brought me a CD, then grabbed my hand and pulled me into the living room.  She started to try to spin the both of us around as she attempted verbal communication.  "Deece!"  she declared.  Apparently it was time for a dance party, and who can argue with that?
    In the category of sustenance, when she is ready for a cup of milk she goes into the kitchen and points at the specific cabinet where the sippy cups reside.  If she is asked, "Would you like a cup of milk?"  she will either nod her head-- or, rather, her whole body-- vigorously or laugh at you.  Apparently the prospect of a calcium fix makes her giddy.  As for solid food, she seems to feel that it must not be a day that ends in 'Y' if she hasn't had a peanut butter sandwich.  When that particular time of day comes she will come find me when I go into the kitchen.  Then she will come in front of me and shove me.  As hard as she can.  Which is surprisingly hard, considering she is not much taller than my knees.  This means, "May I please have a peanut butter sandwich?"-- or at least I pretend she means to use such nice manners.  Once again, this request can be confirmed by asking her if you've understood correctly.  For this one she seems to prefer a combo of laughing at me and going to stand near the cabinet where the peanut butter is kept.  
    Now, the cup thing is pretty self-explanatory for anyone who comes over to babysit.  But even her father was confounded by the 'Sandwich Shove'.  I hope she starts to talk before she develops the 'Apple Slap' or the 'Raisins Roundhouse'.  That could get ugly.
    All of this behavior is topped off with the standards for her age:  running away and hiding from her coat in protest, and going either stiff as a board or limp as a noodle in revolt.
     I really love watching her because she is so expressive when she "talks".  Her face is so fun to see.  I wonder if that level of energy will still be put into the rest of the whole body communication when the words finally do come.  I hope so.

CL