Re: unnatural languages

In article <1173824361.678668.201110@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Peter T. Daniels <grammatim@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mar 13, 3:48 pm, hru...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Herman Rubin) wrote:

BTW, algebraic notation can be applied to ordinary
language. Variables are linguistic entities, which
can substitute for anything, and have rigid rules.
Euclid could, and did, use variables for geometric
objects, but variables for anything else had not yet
been invented.

Applications of logical systems to human language were tried --
Generative Semantics, Montague grammar -- and were soon abandoned.

One can try too hard to achieve what cannot yet be done.

I was not suggesting replacing language, but adding the
capabilities of "algebraic notation" to language. This
is partly done now, but clumsily and in too limited a
manner. We use such terms as gizmo, doohickey,
whatamajig; these are used as variables. We also say,
"From place A to place B." this is linguistic use of
variables, and we could replace "A" by "Q" and "B" by
"RsT". If we had a few dozen places to keep track
of, or people, we could use variables for notation.
We can even use variables for verbs or adjectives.
THIS is the suggestion, and it can be done early.

--
This address is for information only. I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hrubin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558
.

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