Rethinking Xenolinguistics: The Role of Sci-Fi in Shaping New Perspectives

The article explores the history and future of xenolinguistics, emphasizing its roots in science fiction and the importance of overcoming anthropomorphic biases to truly understand potential alien languages, which may be radically different from human languages. It argues that embracing speculative and imaginative approaches can expand our understanding of otherness, both extraterrestrial and terrestrial, even as empirical evidence for alien communication remains elusive.