Extraterrestrial tongues
The challenge of imagining alien communication is
highlighted in the film Arrival (2016), where linguists confront a
language strikingly different from any on Earth. While fictional
alien languages like Klingon (Star Trek) often resemble human
languages with variations in sound or syntax, the possibilities
for extraterrestrial tongues are far more diverse. To truly grasp
the potential for alien linguistic systems, we must consider the
fundamental components of language itself: signs, structure,
semantics, and pragmatics.
The first level, signs, encompasses the means of
expression, which could extend beyond spoken words and
written symbols to include gestures, smells (as in animal
communication), or even electrical impulses. Structure, the
second level, involves the organization of language, including
grammar and syntax. While we might initially assume alien
languages would share structural similarities with our own, they
could radically differ, potentially lacking familiar elements like
nouns or verbs, or employing entirely novel grammatical
categories, perhaps akin to the way maps convey information.
Semantics, the third level, deals with meaning. Here, the
problem of untranslatability arises. While some differences in
meaning between human languages exist (e.g., the German
word "Fernweh"), alien languages might present more
fundamental challenges. If aliens perceive and categorize the
world in fundamentally different ways, their language might
express concepts we struggle to even grasp.
Despite these obstacles, communication may still be
possible. Shared needs, such as describing the world or giving
commands, could provide a basis for finding points of
connection between alien and human languages. Pragmatics,
the fourth level, concerns how language is used in context,
including metaphors and social conventions. Differences at
this level, particularly when combined with semantic
differences, as illustrated by the Tamarian language in Star
Trek: The Next Generation, can further complicate
understanding.
Ultimately, contemplating the possibilities of alien
communication pushes us to expand our understanding of
language itself. It encourages us to move beyond our
"anthropocentric bubble" and consider that alien languages
might possess levels or structures we haven't yet imagined,
potentially transforming our perspectives on consciousness,
intelligence, and what it means to communicate.
Aeon, April 9th, 2025, (Adaptado)
