[jmkirby]

I can imagine there is benefit to the illusion of perfect mutual understanding between two men when both are considerably intoxicated. The likely defusing of circumstances otherwise liable to encourage violence, for example.

But I have never found any satisfying reason for this phenomenon of mutual understanding at the apparent peak of drunkenness.*

I think the extreme effect of alcohol in this case is actually fairly well known, despite the thought occurred to a friend who managed to turn his own experience into a undergraduate study, that the evidence is infrequent due to the required amount of alcohol exceeding most physical tolerances.

I have been convinced without any evidence, since university days, that the mind can become exceptionally plastic under extreme effect of alcohol., [Edited, I left in a section that added nothing so withdrew it] Obviously little formal study is probably done, but since I have one nagging fear of failing to discover something so vital in plain sight but missed for sake of my narrowness in vision, and in my fear of the damage done that stays with me despite hangover all forgotten, I dearly should love to hear of science in answer to the phonomenon. Did the unknown language overflow and get routed to the disused section of my brain that once awaited regional programming and can utter or at least gurgle every human sound? That might trigger a familiar and comfortable and safe feeling, the exciting of brain disused since infancy.