1. How do aliens in the story language and communication style different from the human language(oral, pictographic, phonetic, etc.)?
The aliens, heptapods, have two language systems; one is for speaking and speech, and the other writing.
First of all, instead of mouths, they use an orifice at the top of its body to vibrate for talking. Furthermore, their spoken language is free of order and can add many levels of center-embedding clauses.
Secondly, their writing languages are not confined to letters or sentences. Heptapods can change the curve of strokes to show different meanings and stick all the words together like an illustration. With this type of writing system, readers need to know what the messages are talking about before actually reading.
Finally, for Heptapods, language is a form of action rather than just communicating. Even though heptapods know what will happen next in the future, they still need to make the conversation that make the action really executes.
2. How doest the physical structure of our body inform the way we communicate? How about the aliens?
Humans, use tongues and vocal cords to speak and express ideas. Moreover, because our bodies have differences between up and down, front and behind, and right and left, we write and speak with order.
On the contrary, Heptapods have seven limbs and any of them can be regarded as arms or legs, which means they do not have the concept of direction. Under these circumstances, their language system lacks order.
Source: Ted Chiang, Story of Your Life, 1998
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