Comments on: Computer program deciphers a dead language that mystified linguists http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/ The official Derren Brown Blog Mon, 07 May 2012 09:24:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Kabul Jobs http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-64884 Kabul Jobs Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:46:58 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-64884 Has anyone began translating it yet? Has anyone began translating it yet?

]]> By: bethbeth http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61371 bethbeth Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:59:38 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61371 the language is called Ugaritic because the city in which the tablets were found was known as Ugarit (now Ras Shamra in Northern Syria), and it became 'dead' because the town was destroyed c. 1200 BC, probably by the invasion of those commonly known as the 'sea peoples'. no shopping lists have been found, and whilst some of the tablets are slightly tedious things such as adminstrative lists, others are wonderful works of mythological literature which have contributed hugely to the worlds of theology and mythology in Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern studies. the language is called Ugaritic because the city in which the tablets were found was known as Ugarit (now Ras Shamra in Northern Syria), and it became ‘dead’ because the town was destroyed c. 1200 BC, probably by the invasion of those commonly known as the ‘sea peoples’. no shopping lists have been found, and whilst some of the tablets are slightly tedious things such as adminstrative lists, others are wonderful works of mythological literature which have contributed hugely to the worlds of theology and mythology in Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern studies.

]]> By: ReliegiousMarie http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61345 ReliegiousMarie Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:52:05 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61345 tss, i think my comments are stuck in the filter *sniggers* tss, i think my comments are stuck in the filter

*sniggers*

]]> By: Botchkalinsky http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61307 Botchkalinsky Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:35:50 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61307 Wow, a computer programmer created a program that can decipher difficult languages? that IS amazing! Wow, a computer programmer created a program that can decipher difficult languages? that IS amazing!

]]> By: Go Go Yubari http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61291 Go Go Yubari Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:15:30 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61291 Did it read "Will you please stop letting your pet pigeon walk all over my clay tablets!!!" Did it read “Will you please stop letting your pet pigeon walk all over my clay tablets!!!”

]]> By: roz http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61289 roz Sat, 03 Jul 2010 13:48:21 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61289 it said, "send more chuck berry." it said, “send more chuck berry.”

]]> By: Jess xxx http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61288 Jess xxx Sat, 03 Jul 2010 13:39:15 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61288 I think this is actually bad news for scientists. Like everyone else in this day and age, they'll now be made redundant, and replaced with computers. :) The machines have their flaws, though. For example, it could only translate 29 of the 30 letters of their alphabet correctly. And one letter can make ALL the difference! (For example, you wouldn't want to write to someone 'I want to kiss you', and have them read it as 'I want to kill you'...or have everyone thinking your name's Darren when it's actually Derren. ;) ) I think this is actually bad news for scientists. Like everyone else in this day and age, they’ll now be made redundant, and replaced with computers. :)

The machines have their flaws, though. For example, it could only translate 29 of the 30 letters of their alphabet correctly. And one letter can make ALL the difference! (For example, you wouldn’t want to write to someone ‘I want to kiss you’, and have them read it as ‘I want to kill you’…or have everyone thinking your name’s Darren when it’s actually Derren. ;) )

]]> By: ste doyle http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61280 ste doyle Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:03:15 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61280 That's interesting. I wonder what they said. Hopefully after all that work it wasn't just a shopping list. Imagine the disappointment if in thousands of years people discover a long lost language called English, spend years translating it only to find someone wanted to get some tomatoes. That’s interesting. I wonder what they said. Hopefully after all that work it wasn’t just a shopping list. Imagine the disappointment if in thousands of years people discover a long lost language called English, spend years translating it only to find someone wanted to get some tomatoes.

]]> By: Poikes http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61279 Poikes Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:00:24 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61279 "Of the thirty letters in the Ugaritic alphabet, the computer correctly identified twenty-nine of them.” How did it get the last one wrong? “Of the thirty letters in the Ugaritic alphabet, the computer correctly identified twenty-nine of them.”

How did it get the last one wrong?

]]> By: DerrenBrownFan http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/computer-program-deciphers-dead-language-mystified-linguists/#comment-61277 DerrenBrownFan Sat, 03 Jul 2010 08:46:26 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=12994#comment-61277 And how can a language become 'dead'? Did people just wake up one day and decide they couldn't be bothered to speak it anymore? And how can a language become ‘dead’? Did people just wake up one day and decide they couldn’t be bothered to speak it anymore?

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