Explain to a martian over a telephone who can speak english what is left and what is right.
2007-02-22 06:49:42 · 45 answers · asked by The Friendly Polar Bear 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Alternative ➔ Other - Alternative
If you hold out both of your hands in front of you and stick out your thumb and forefinger, then the hand with the fingers in an 'L' shape is the left hand and the other is right.
2007-02-22 06:57:04 · answer #1 · answered by becky 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
This is actually a very good question which should have been asked elsewhere eg science/astronomy
I would forget about the martian bit and think about how you would explain the concepts here on earth and then decide whether the explanation can be translated to another world
On earth the best thing is probably to involve the movement of the sun which you are looking at, from your right hand side to left hand side. This is determined by the direction of rotation of the earth, as for rotation of Mars I don't know if it is the same direction or not.
2007-02-23 01:41:21 · answer #2 · answered by wimafrobor 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Starting at any point, the 180* to one side is called left, the other right, and which side is which is subjective and depends on the forward orientation of the observer. Since they're using a telephone, this can be easily explained since the number 5 is in the middle, 4 is on the left of 5 and 6 is on the right of 5. Whereas if you turn the phone upside down, 6 is on the left of 5 and 4 is on the right of five.
2007-02-22 12:03:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would tell the martian that the LEFT is in the direction as the same side of the head they have the telephone to. The RIGHT is in the direction opposite to the side of their head they are holding the phone to.
2007-02-22 09:20:31 · answer #4 · answered by Ronatnyu 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Face north.
Turn your head to the WEST until you align your nose and the rest of your face with the tip of your sholder on that side. You are now looking to your "LEFT". Your "LEFT" hand, leg, and foot follow along this side of your body and are considered your "left hand", "left leg", "left foot", etc.
Your "RIGHT hand, foot, leg, etc." are on the contrasting or opposite side ond your face would align with your "RIGHT" shoulder if you turned your head to a point which aligns with your shoulder when turning your head due WEST.
Of course, this assumes that your optical organs are mounted on a superiorly positioned stucture called a head but without more information I cannot elaborate further in regards to this. More detailed anatomical information is necessary if your body structure is not similar in composition to that of a human's.
In regards to his understanding of the English language he would have to have obtained instruction on how to speak English from a martian instructor or a creature that speaks Martian as well as English. During the course of instruction the translation from Martian to English would have discussed directional course and therefore the Martian would have easily made the distinction anyway. Similar to the way I learned how to make directional references in German with my primary language being English.
2007-02-23 08:13:06 · answer #5 · answered by Julia Warhol 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello Mr. Martian. Go find the Mars Pathfinder exploration vehicle. There’s an American flag on it. The blue section with the stars are on the top-left.
2007-02-22 12:34:23 · answer #6 · answered by David Sutton 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look at the telephone, the 3, 6 and 9 are on the right hand side, the 1,4 and 7 are on the left hand side. Right is in the direction of the 3,6 and 9 and left is in the direction of the 1,4 and 7.
2007-02-22 06:57:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Whichever goes right is right and others are left.
This is similar to this phrase: "When you have put a socks in your left leg first, the socks is on the right leg: the left leg, the leg that is left is your right. Gotcha?!
If martian also has heart to his left, then it is easy to explain: The side where the heart beats comes from is the left and the side that is left is right.
2007-02-22 20:20:08 · answer #8 · answered by Tiger Tracks 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You couldnt, you wouldnt know if they even had the concept of right and left so it would be completely useless. It would be the same as if a martian was trying to explain a completely alien concept over the phone to you.
2007-02-22 08:25:27 · answer #9 · answered by Fish 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The martian would have to know what up down, or angles were.
Or we would need to know objects 90 degrees from martian to look at.
2007-02-22 21:45:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmm I dont know about a martian but I always taught my right handed daughters to write with their right. I would put a ring on a right and remember its right, than that is a way to remember. Will now read everyone elses answers cos I never read before I answer.
2007-02-22 10:11:57 · answer #11 · answered by babyshambles 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋