MIT research finds the brain’s language-processing network also responds to artificial languages such as Esperanto and languages made for TV, such as Klingon on “Star Trek” and High Valyrian and Dothraki on “Game of Thrones.”
  • Deebster@infosec.pub
    7·
    5 days ago

    That led the researchers to wonder if artificial languages like Esperanto would be processed more like programming languages or more like natural languages.

    I would have expected that Esperanto or Klingon would be the same as natural languages, but I’d be interested to see if more mathematical/logical conlangs like Lojban showed any difference.

    • AnIndefiniteArticle@sh.itjust.works
      6·
      5 days ago

      Keep reading

      To further refine the features of language that activate the brain’s language network, Fedorenko’s lab is now planning to study how the brain responds to a conlang called Lojban, which was created by the Logical Language Group in the 1990s and was designed to prevent ambiguity of meanings and promote more efficient communication.

      It’s in their conclusion section as a quick sentence blurb about future work, almost like it was brought up in the peer review process but they didn’t want to rerun the whole experiment.

      • Deebster@infosec.pub
        4·
        5 days ago

        Whoops, I guess I was skimming by the time I reached that point, thanks.

        I won’t be surprised if it’s also indistinguishable from natural languages; I speak a bit of Arabic and was surprised to learn how “mathematical” the root/pattern system is - it felt like arguments into functions.