Hey little insect crawling on top of my work monitor. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be outside with the other insects?
... I mean, we both know you're illiterate.
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Considerinf even humans need to learn to read before they recognize what it is, I'd say probably not.
With that said the question in my mind is... could they be taught? Not to read, but to recognize they are words at all... Probably not an insect but a chimp maybe!
@Algot Higher mammals, some birds, and maybe a couple of reptiles are intelligent enough to recognize patterns. Great Apes of various kinds are, if not wholly sentient, at least semi or near/pre-sentient.
As for Seti, I hav no answer for that. Chances are anyone who could communicate across vast interstellar instances doen't give a hot shit about a type-0 civvy on a crapball planet.
I am reminded of a book/series by C.J.Cherrh: "Foreigner" which has alien/human communication as a central feature.
Thank you for letting me think about these things.
@Surasanji
You make me wonder...
Does an insect or any other non-human being really comprehend that there are words to be read on a page or screen.
What level of intelligence is required to recognize some other being's abilities, ones "we" lack?
Are we in SETI, even listening to the frequencies which aliens use? (not a new question)