Timeline for How could a universal translation drug work?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
9 events
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| May 27, 2021 at 2:34 | comment | added | Tom |
let's assume because science-fiction that behind every word in every language there is a link to the "thing" signified with that word That is the argument of Wittgenstein's Tractatus, which I think is called the "Picture Theory". He said that each word is magically linked to its real-world referent. He abandoned this view, and I think nobody takes it seriously anymore -- although they do still study the Tractatus. I would argue that "science fiction" cannot handwave this into truth.
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| May 26, 2021 at 21:13 | comment | added | Otkin | The Russian language distinguishes between 'pravda' and 'istina' which are both translated into English as 'truth'. 'Pravda' and 'istina' are not interchangeable as they mean two conceptually different things. How your proposed method will work for cases like this? | |
| May 26, 2021 at 19:38 | vote | accept | blatherskiteb | ||
| May 26, 2021 at 17:21 | comment | added | L.Dutch♦ | @AlexP, this is worldbuilding, not linguistic. Some leeway is admitted | |
| May 26, 2021 at 17:19 | comment | added | AlexP | That is fundamentally not how human languages work. | |
| May 26, 2021 at 16:57 | comment | added | L.Dutch♦ | @Trioxidane, there is the precedent of the Babelfish | |
| May 26, 2021 at 16:53 | comment | added | Trioxidane | Trouble is, can this be applied across species? Aliens might not use words or even vocals. With different frames of reference we're not able to say that the aliens would feel the same. Still a good answer. | |
| May 26, 2021 at 15:49 | comment | added | Kepotx | Every french speaker can back up the fact that "zizi" can be associated with "spiky objects" | |
| May 26, 2021 at 15:29 | history | answered | L.Dutch♦ | CC BY-SA 4.0 |