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Researchers Synthesize Evolution of Language
blog.wired.com — For all the talk about memes acting like genes and cultures evolving like organisms, no theory of non-biological evolution exists -- but that could change. In a study published today, linguists observed an artificial language evolve from random to ordered, naturally adapting in ways that assured its reproduction.
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- darkmaninperth, on 07/29/2008, -9/+2108 Digs and no comments?
- Murdats, on 07/29/2008, -2/+2you're buried with no replies?
- darkmaninperth, on 08/14/2008, -0/+1I got one!
- Murdats, on 07/29/2008, -2/+2you're buried with no replies?
- damian7, on 07/29/2008, -3/+1God = Gates?
- blackula01, on 07/29/2008, -8/+2Link to images is down - here's a mirror
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=o6fwg9&s=4- NightRiderkami, on 07/29/2008, -1/+2Rick pic'd
- NightRiderkami, on 07/29/2008, -0/+3omnomnomnom = yes dear, this meal is simply divine.
- ausrokit, on 07/29/2008, -1/+2lol... "kirby and his team" who? meta knight and King Dedede?
"studies ended abruptly when kirby sucked everyone in and stole their abilities..." - Cuchanu, on 07/29/2008, -2/+1I already "figured" all this out when I was high and going to college. I also mapped out human evolution from the first organism on earth (I figured it didn't start on the ocean floor but rather a meteorite) all the way to when we had to leave earth to avoid the sun exploding. Although from the modern time I couldn't figure out how we would evolve in a physical way, just technologically.
Oh yeah I also figured out how to see in the past.
Off topic; I'm sorry, the article just reminded me.- Smalldude76, on 07/29/2008, -0/+1facepalm.jpg
- o0joshua0o, on 07/29/2008, -0/+3One time I figured out how to create nuclear fusion with just a paper clip, a lighter, and a bowl of raisin bran.
- voidvector, on 07/29/2008, -0/+3The Chinese in the picture says "The green green grass is afraid of your feet."
P.S. It's a "don't step on the grass" sign. - mrzack, on 07/29/2008, -0/+2Chinese language came before Christ.
- Taiyoryu, on 07/29/2008, -0/+4I'm not surprised that language and especially English is an evolved language, given the amount of vocabulary adopted from other languages, it's irregular forms and spellings of words, and its many grammar exceptions. It's especially evident when you hear different English dialects (American versus British or Australian) to see where the language has diverged slightly, or when you hear a non-native, non-fluent speakers and see what grammar or spelling did they apply because it made sense to them even though it's incorrect. At what point does a word become a compound (web site and website) or lose its hyphen (e-mail and email)? I'm sure those who speak other languages have similar observations like in colloquial Japanese how マ久ドナル (Makudonaru) became マ久ド (Makudo) or simply マ久 (Maku), the American English equivalent of MickeyDs and McDs.
- MiddleOfNowhere, on 07/29/2008, -0/+1It's called emergence. Simple interactions can lead to complex systems. it's - as the article said - creation without a creator. A certain grammar and vocabulary may be useful to us (e.g., short words and concepts such as orders/questions used by early humans during hunting) - but the interesting part is that we as "carriers" are also useful to the structure ...
Also see Self-organization and Memes. - m0llusk, on 07/29/2008, -0/+1SVO order rules--woo!
- mikecurry, on 07/30/2008, -0/+1http://engrish.com/
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