Since my thesis is about how languages can „look,“ I thought it would be a good idea to rewatch the movie Arrival. I saw it a few years ago, but now I wanted to focus on its connection to language and visualization. Even though the movie is about aliens, it has a deeper message about how language works and how it can change the way we think and understand the world.
What is Arrival about?
The movie is about a linguist named Louise Banks, who is asked to help communicate with aliens that have arrived on Earth. These aliens, called Heptapods, have a unique way of writing and speaking. Louise’s job is to figure out their language so humans can understand what they want. But the story is not just about aliens—it’s also about how learning a new language can affect your mind and even the way you see time.
Attention spoiler alert🚨 One of the most memorable scenes for me was when Louise communicates with the Heptapods by touching the screen. Their written language is shown as circular symbols called logograms. These symbols are not written in a straight line like most human languages. Instead, they are designed to show the full meaning all at once, without following a specific order which is very interesting.
Idea of a nonlinear language really made me think about how I could visualize the sounds and meanings of different languages in my thesis. I also learned the term „logogram,“ which I guess, I didn’t know before. Now I want to research more about how other writing systems work, especially ones that are very different from the alphabets we use every day.
What I Learned
- The term logogram refers to symbols that represent a word or concept.
- Language can shape how we think and even how we experience time, which connects to the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.
- Visualizing a language in a new way, like the Heptapod logograms, can make us question our usual way of thinking about communication.
Conclusion
Overall, I really enjoyed watching Arrival again with an observation eye through language. Also it was visually appealing! I would recommend this movie if you are interested in science-fictions and aliens as well 🙂
→ Watch the Trailer: Arrival – Official Trailer
