Automated Language Deciphering By Computer AI 109
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samzenpus
from the what-about-dwarvish? dept.
from the what-about-dwarvish? dept.
eldavojohn writes "Ugaritic has been deciphered by an unaided computer program that relied only on four basic assumptions present in many languages. The paper (PDF) may aid researchers in deciphering eight undecipherable languages (Ugaritic has already been deciphered and proved their system worked) as well as increase the number of languages automated translation sites offer. The researchers claim 'orders of magnitude' speedups in deciphering languages with their new system."
Re:Answers to all TFA questions (Score:5, Insightful)
The decipherment of Ugaritic took years and relied on some happy coincidences — such as the discovery of an axe that had the word “axe” written on it in Ugaritic.
Maybe I should go around and write "computer" in English on all my computers, as a service to future language researchers.
Next step: (Score:2, Insightful)
If only we could find a language that is similar enough...
Re:Sweet (Score:1, Insightful)
I think that this is more a tool for the human deciphers than a magic tool for decipher the languages. This a great tool wen you have already obtained the key points of the language, with this you can evade the most tedious part that is going word for word to obtain the language and the reduce the necessary time for decipher it. Also with this tool is possible the case were you decipher the language but this language is wrong, but this don't mean that all of the deciphered is wrong as the most possible with ideographic writings is that you have deciphered correctly the writing and meaning but not the reading.
Re:Answers to all TFA questions (Score:3, Insightful)
Neither is my great great grandmother's cookbook. Which really is a shame, as I strongly suspect the recipes make something more edible than what's served at the local coffee shop.
Re:Pfft, why? (Score:3, Insightful)