In the realm of language learning, we often focus on human languages. But what if we were to step out of our Earthly confines and explore the possibilities of communicating with alien species?
YouTube channel TheLingOtter explores this topic in a fascinating video titled “How to Talk With Aliens—Xenolinguistics.”
TheLingOtter is known for its insightful content on languages and linguistics, presented in an engaging and accessible way.
In this particular video, the focus is on the intriguing field of xenolinguistics – the hypothetical study of non-human, alien languages. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of what language is, how communication might look in species unlike our own, and how we might bridge the interstellar communication gap.
The purpose of this article is to delve deeper into the concepts presented in TheLingOtter’s video, presenting key takeaways and engaging discussion points.
The Fascination with Extraterrestrial Life
Humans have been intrigued by the possibility of life beyond our planet for millennia. This fascination continues to the present day, as evidenced by the multitude of movies, books, and television shows that explore the concept of extraterrestrial life. However, these stories often overlook a crucial question: if we ever encounter alien life, how would we communicate with them? This complex issue involves understanding the fundamental blocks of human language and determining which, if any, of these blocks we might share with alien life forms.
The Challenges of Interstellar Communication
The primary issue with communicating with aliens is understanding one another. Even within our own species, humans often struggle to surmount language barriers. Hollywood movies, such as Arrival, have tackled this issue but often oversimplify or dramatize the process for entertainment purposes. For instance, Arrival’s depiction of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which proposes that language influences our perception of the world, is at odds with the views of most modern linguists. However, the movie’s depiction of the process of deciphering an unknown language was fairly accurate.
The Role of Biology in Communication
Another challenge in communicating with aliens is the probable difference in our biologies. If language is heavily influenced by human cognition, we might struggle to communicate with a species that thinks differently. In addition, the method used in the movie Arrival relies heavily on back-and-forth communication, which would be impractical for interstellar communication due to the vast distances involved.
Finding Common Ground
To communicate with extraterrestrial life, we need to identify what we might have in common. Lancelot Hogben, a British zoologist and statistician, suggested in his 1952 book “Science and Authority” that two commonalities we likely share with other intelligent life forms are the concept of natural numbers and the observation of celestial events. He proposed that an interstellar message should be based on numbers and then branch out into discussing celestial events.
The Universality of Numbers
The concept of numbers might be universal, but different cultures worldwide have various numbering systems. For instance, today we use a base 10 system, but other cultures, such as the ancient Mayans, used a base 20 system. Hogben argued that all numbering systems share three main features: iteration, rank order, and gap. Therefore, an alien species might be able to decipher our numbering system, assuming they share these fundamental principles.
The Power of Binary
The most basic numbering system that can still carry vast amounts of information is binary, a base-2 numbering system composed of zeros and ones. All our technology runs on binary, and we can use it to communicate vast amounts of information. Therefore, we should probably use binary to communicate with aliens.
Humanity’s First Message into Space
On November 16, 1974, humanity sent its first message into space using the Arecibo radio telescope, intending to be received by extraterrestrial life. Despite the effort put into creating a message that could be understood by alien life, the message was primarily a celebration of Arecibo’s technological capabilities. However, we can learn a lot from this message.
Decoding the Arecibo Message
The Arecibo message was sent as a sequence of 1,679 bits, a semi-prime number divisible only by 1, 23, 73, and 1,679. The bits were organized into a 23×73 array, each representing a 1 or a 0. The message contained several sections, each representing different information, including numbers, elements, molecules, a representation of human DNA, a representation of a human, a representation of our solar system, and a depiction of the Arecibo radio telescope.
The Voyager Golden Records
The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes were launched three years after the Arecibo message. These probes carried with them golden records containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth. The records included greetings in various languages, scientific concepts, and a map of Earth. However, the records were primarily intended for human understanding rather than as a serious attempt at communicating with extraterrestrial life.
The Future of Interstellar Communication
We may continue to send physical objects into space in the future, but the vast distances involved make this a challenging prospect. Instead, we may return to sending radio signals. We now understand that the most effective messages for extraterrestrial life are those that start with the most basic concepts, such as numbers and elements, and gradually build up to more complex ideas.
Wrapping Up the Cosmic Conversation
The question of how to communicate with extraterrestrial life is a fascinating one, and it challenges us to think deeply about the nature of language and understanding. While we have made several attempts to send messages into space, we are still in the early stages of this endeavor. The challenges are immense, from understanding the potential differences in alien cognition to overcoming the vast distances involved in interstellar communication. However, by building upon the most fundamental blocks of understanding, such as numbers and elements, we may one day succeed in making contact with life beyond our planet.
Remember to watch the video for a more in-depth exploration of this topic, and don’t forget to subscribe for more engaging content on language and communication. Your support helps create more informative and entertaining content. Until next time, keep pondering the mysteries of the universe, and maybe one day, we’ll find the answers we seek.
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.