This is so conjectural as to be more in the realm of science fiction but here goes. There's little to no hard evidence that there's anything particular to the human brain that makes our way of thinking unique to humans. No doubt we are indeed evolved to be highly intelligent social animals. But how specialized is our brain to our particular kind of thinking?

What if what evolved was not primarily biological, but cultural evolution? What if our kind of language, and our kind of thinking, are the product of many stacked layers of ideas and cultural practices. And not much more? If so, then perhaps it is contagious. And if that can't be ruled out, maybe we should think long and hard before we try to talk to the whales. Lest we risk turning that classic The Onion piece into something real: "Scientists successfully teach gorilla that it will die some day -- Tulane University researchers say Quigley is now able to experience the crippling fear of impending death previously only accessible to humans."

Cool project -Its not clear to me how the “meaning” gets in knowing the whale “alphabet” is not dependent on meaning?