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A symbolic language, such as Bliss[0][1][2], avoids cringe-worthy issues with accents and comprehension, at the cost of being written only. Sign languages do th

by luxpir 9y ago

A symbolic language, such as Bliss[0][1][2], avoids cringe-worthy issues with accents and comprehension, at the cost of being written only. Sign languages do the same. International Sign Language[3] + Bliss are in theory the perfect combination for intergalactic communication. Blind people, unfortunately, would have to continue to suffer English until such time that direct brain stimulation becomes feasible. EDIT: Key point in all seriousness: the Bliss language has enabled thousands of cerebral palsy sufferers to communicate with a full range of expression. Sadly curbed in recent years by the much more limited pre-phrased, Hawking-like computer voices. Alternatives exist. Listen to the radio shows in [1] to find out more. The BBC one I found particularly moving. The Radiolab one starts at 5min, goes on for some 30mins. [0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blissymbols https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blissymbols [1] - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08y26qf http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08y26qf, http://www.radiolab.org/story/257194-man-became-bliss/ http://www.radiolab.org/story/257194-man-became-bliss/ [2] - https://archive.org/details/mrsymbolman https://archive.org/details/mrsymbolman [3] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Sign https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Sign

mcguire 9y ago
Another fascinating chapter in the history of perfect languages. "... McNaughton’s team might often interpret a certain symbol in a way that Bliss would later criticize as a “misinterpretation”. For example, they might interpret a tomato as a vegetable —according to the English definition of tomato— even though the ideal Blissymbol of vegetable was restricted by Bliss to just vegetables growing underground. Eventually the OCCC staff modified and adapted Bliss’s system in order to make it serve as a bridge to English. (2009, p. 189) Bliss complaints about his symbols “being abused” by the OCCC became so intense that the director of the OCCC told Bliss, on his 1974 visit, never to come back. In spite of this, in 1975 Bliss granted an exclusive world license, for use with disabled children, to the new Blissymbolics Communication Foundation directed by Shirley McNaughton (later called Blissymbolics Communication International, BCI). Nevertheless, in 1977 Bliss claimed that this agreement was violated so that he was deprived of effective control of his symbol system."

by luxpir 9y ago

mcguire 9y ago

Another fascinating chapter in the history of perfect languages. "... McNaughton’s team might often interpret a certain symbol in a way that Bliss would later criticize as a “misinterpretation”. For example, they might interpret a tomato as a vegetable —according to the English definition of tomato— even though the ideal Blissymbol of vegetable was restricted by Bliss to just vegetables growing underground. Eventually the OCCC staff modified and adapted Bliss’s system in order to make it serve as a bridge to English. (2009, p. 189) Bliss complaints about his symbols “being abused” by the OCCC became so intense that the director of the OCCC told Bliss, on his 1974 visit, never to come back. In spite of this, in 1975 Bliss granted an exclusive world license, for use with disabled children, to the new Blissymbolics Communication Foundation directed by Shirley McNaughton (later called Blissymbolics Communication International, BCI). Nevertheless, in 1977 Bliss claimed that this agreement was violated so that he was deprived of effective control of his symbol system."