chittydog wrote:
Hakei wrote:
TheAussieReaper wrote:
Hakei wrote:
stryyker wrote:
Because aliens use our language
Because decoding a language is impossible.
It is if the aliens communicate through smell and taste.
I never mentioned anything about another form of communication, I'm just saying that if they do have a language and are at the same level of development as Earth - I'm pretty sure they could work out what's being said.
I think it's going to be better in the long run sending images and text rather than a box of scratch and sniffs, no?
Cryptology works on a lot more than just knowing what each character is, for instance they work on decoding an unknown language by looking for patterns, every language has some form of pattern - I.E certain characters appear only at the end and the beginning of a word (For example, Y usually finishes rather than starts) the most common letters used and how some words are placed in a sentence ('and' is never at the beginning/end) Some words are grouped together, some never get close. It's all patterns.
So what if they're Chinese and have no letters? Or like the buggers in Ender's Game and have no concept of language at all? We're taking a lot for granted by assuming they'd even understand there was a message there. Dolphins and whales both have a language, but we have no fucking clue what they're trying to communicate to each other. We're talking species on our own planet who have a language we can't decipher. I'm betting against the aliens on this one.
Right, but what possible chance do we have of getting a reply from a group of sea creatures? As far as I know the Chinese language has symbols, and these symbols are not unique to every single piece of Chinese text, meaning that there is a pattern somewhere, within the structure of the Chinese language. As for the possibility that they are like fictional characters out of a book, hrm.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know every species has a way of communication. (At least a quick google search tells me so)
I'm just saying that if they do have a language and are at the same level of development as Earth - I'm pretty sure they could work out what's being said.
^ Perhaps if I clarify this again.
I'm saying that if they have a method of communication which involves symbols, letters, numbers or scribbles, and they have a creature which has the same level of development as Earth (I.E humans not dolphins) that understands the possibility of another language and understands that this language could possibly be understood if they looked for patterns in the symbols/letters/numbers/scribbles we send. Then I believe that there could be in all likelihood a slight chance that this race that is as developed as humans could actually understand what message we sent, and perhaps at some stage come up with a system based on our own laws of language that would allow them to reply.