and associated their various meaningings through the production of sound. Later these sounds were encoded into abstract images we recognize as a 'written' language, whether in a hieroglyphic, or picture form or a more abstract symbolic form. The important element in this process is a common set of experiences in conjunction with a common set of sensual apparati (primarily sight and sound/hearing).

Given this process, we would need to assume common experiences along with a common set of sense apparati in order to interpret any communication from another alien species. Are these assumptions realistic? It seems to me to be quite a reach. So a back-and-forth process of information sharing might be virtually impossible.