SUBJECT>Re: Where'd they learn _English_?
POSTER>Nimrod 
STAFF>Yes
EMAIL>Nimrod@MarsDawn.com
DATE>June 15, 1997 at 21:02:56
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It doesn't matter where they learned it, though I will answer that question. Think about it: any language they know would have to be gleaned from transmissions from Earth. Any culture sending a probe to Mars would, obviously, be able to interact with the cultures sending these transmissions. Thus, there is a good chance that any culture sending probes would also understand any language the aliens could learn from radio/tv. Sure, few people in the US understand the langauge spoken by Australian aboriginees, but they also don't have comm sats. Russians on the other hand have nearly as difficult a language to learn, but it is easier to find people that speak Russian in the US, and they DO have comm sats. The aliens made a bet. As for why they chose English-it is one of the more common languages in technologically advanced culture. It is the official language of air traffic controllers, and nearly the lingua franca for amateur radio operators world wide. You figure it out...<p>*Nimrod*

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