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/sci/ - Science & Math

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8036043 No.8036043 [Reply] [Original]

is there any theorem that says you can't decipher something an alien wrote without any context

let's say you have a thousand symbols with no context whatsoever, can you decipher what is written ?

>> No.8036049

If you know for a fact that they use an actual language and not just gibberish then you might.

>> No.8036050

It's impossible.

>> No.8036053
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8036053

>>8036043
We tried to make a decipherable code on the voyager plates based off the Hydrogen atom

I think you could use basic laws of the universe that any scientifically literate population could understand as a basis for language

>> No.8036147

>>8036043
Discussed in Story of Your Life, by Ted Chiang

>> No.8036172

Yes.
It's call "The Theory Of Language".
OP is obviously aware of the concept, OP was asking for the direct name of the concept.

>> No.8036181
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8036181

>>8036043
There are plenty of examples for such languages on Earth. We have context here but are still unable to decipher.

Take for instance the indus language.

>> No.8036184

>>8036181
Those are just rating the flavour

>> No.8036196
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8036196

>>8036184
Sounds as good as any other theory out there.

>> No.8036347

>>8036043
No. Proof: Rosetta stone

>> No.8036354
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8036354

>>8036184
10/10

>> No.8036359

I can't think how you'd make an argument that in every case, a lone collection of symbols from an alien language would be indecipherable.

The definition of context matters, here, too. With automated language tools, the entire sample of a thousand symbols provides context for any given symbols frequency and the overall assumed syntax.

>> No.8038286

>>8036347
but the rosetta stone provided context