Assuming the alien life is intelligent and motivated to speak to us [0], then we have a significant advantage over our attempts at understanding existing animal

Assuming the alien life is intelligent and motivated to speak to us [0], then we have a significant advantage over our attempts at understanding existing animal languages. There is ample precedent for that on Earth. In our own history, when two district linguistic groups meet, they do not learn each other's language. They mutually establish a primitive protocol language (pidgin) that is sufficient for communication. With animals, pretty much any pet owner can attest to establishing some communicative ability with their pets. Even with non domestic species like dolphins, scientists have been able to establish basic communication. If there was a species of comparable intelligence, knowledge, and institutional capacity to us, we would be able to work around having incompatible innate communication facilities. [0] In the build intergalactic space ships, and whatever their version of dedicating teams of researchers and supporting logistics is