RE: Language?

>I was discussing this earlier today with someone, using the analogy of
>two humans who each speak a language foreign to the other - with only
>textual communication between them they can never achieve mutual
>understanding, although they may be able to identify some words and
>grammar rules.  Understanding is only achieved with some common
>interpretation; they must be able to interact, point to objects ("Me
>Tarzan, you Jane") and indicate sounds.

Limit them to textual comms, but allow them a pencil and a lot of paper to
look for patterns between their linguistic patterns. The languages are both
describing the same world as interpreted by the same kind of agents -
patterns should match. No objects required.