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From: dcs2e@darwin.clas.virginia.edu (David Swanson)
Subject: Re: Languages: Hard, Harder, Hardest
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In article <4tb53s$mj0@dfw-ixnews9.ix.netcom.com>
matts2@ix.netcom.com (Matt Silberstein) writes:

> That is why I posed the translation test. It bundles up the whole
> language together. If you can translate something as large, varied, and
> complex as the Bible into a language that suggests you can translate
> anything into that language. If the translation is close in size that
> suggests the languages are equally efficient. 


What is this sanguine "can"?  As we all know, translations are never
"perfect," and most are disappointing.  What degree of disappointment
equals "failure" you have not explained.


> 
> I suggest two other areas of thought. If you accept that children has a
> language aquisition mechanism, do you think different people have
> different mechanisms? And do you think different human languages were
> developed to solve different problems.


Yes, of course.

> 
> (I would also like to suggest that all human languages are
> "sufficiently" complex the way Godel systems must me "sufficiently"
> powerful. But referencing Godel on the net is like referencing Hitler,
> it tends to degrade the conversation.)


Not to me.  It's just over my head.  Either that or you're talking
nonsense.


> ---------------------------------------------------------
> 
> What is the scariest line you know? Mine is:
> 
> Hi, my name is Number 6, what's yours?


David

"Heideggerian hope comes into question." J.D.
