Is it possible to decode alien language if we encounter them in the near future? According to Terrence Deacon, linguist and anthropologist from the University of California, yes, it is. However, it will take quite a complicated and advanced understanding of the language in order for us to be able to make heads or tails of whatever our outer space neighbors are talking about.

According to Deacon, we should also have a deep understanding about the development of languages, in order for us to get a clue as to how languages evolve, even in alien culture. So what makes a language? Languages are created out of the common need to describe the physical world, said Deacon, and it is possible that it can evolve quite differently, depending on the culture. A language that uses scent  as a medium to convey thoughts? That's possible.

But Deacon also said that no matter how bizarre a language is, it is still grounded in physical reality, which in turn will help in understanding that culture's language. In fact, he presented his ideas about decoding alien language in the recent 2008 Astrobiology Science Conference that was held on April 17 in California.