Comments on: text messaging is unnatural http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/ a journal of whimsy and hope Mon, 07 May 2012 22:01:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: purple motes » making sense is biological coding of sensory ecology http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-793 purple motes » making sense is biological coding of sensory ecology Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:03:27 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-793 [...] but to respond successfully in the circumstances in which the organism has evolved and lives.  Phylogenetic and ontogenetic experiences determine perception-action cycles, which are empirical sensory responses.   The common knowledge [...] [...] but to respond successfully in the circumstances in which the organism has evolved and lives.  Phylogenetic and ontogenetic experiences determine perception-action cycles, which are empirical sensory responses.   The common knowledge [...]

]]> By: purple motes » long-run trend in writing style http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-792 purple motes » long-run trend in writing style Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:08:21 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-792 [...] Communicative style varies with circumstances and purposes.  Over millions of years, primate vocal communication co-evolved with sociality among family and friends.  Writing, in contrast, developed about 5500 years ago.  Prior to the last three centuries, use of writing has been almost wholly limited to a small, elite group, and writing has been used primarily for recording information and memorializing events significant to many persons. [...] [...] Communicative style varies with circumstances and purposes.  Over millions of years, primate vocal communication co-evolved with sociality among family and friends.  Writing, in contrast, developed about 5500 years ago.  Prior to the last three centuries, use of writing has been almost wholly limited to a small, elite group, and writing has been used primarily for recording information and memorializing events significant to many persons. [...]

]]> By: Dominic wilkinson http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-791 Dominic wilkinson Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:50:53 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-791 what are you on about this website doesnt make sense probably because i havent read it! what are you on about this website doesnt make sense probably because i havent read it!

]]> By: purple motes » more empirical evidence on making sense http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-790 purple motes » more empirical evidence on making sense Wed, 27 Sep 2006 03:22:11 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-790 [...] Consider the economics of activating these neurons. Making sense of text is relatively expensive. Actually executing actions involve the caloric cost of moving bodily mass. Observing actions is probably the cheapest means to activate the common neurons associated with these different sensory circumstances. Perhaps this helps to explains why so many persons spend so much time on couches, watching sports on television. [...] [...] Consider the economics of activating these neurons. Making sense of text is relatively expensive. Actually executing actions involve the caloric cost of moving bodily mass. Observing actions is probably the cheapest means to activate the common neurons associated with these different sensory circumstances. Perhaps this helps to explains why so many persons spend so much time on couches, watching sports on television. [...]

]]> By: Wim L http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-789 Wim L Fri, 26 May 2006 04:18:31 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-789 The other nice thing about text messaging is its asynchrony. Email is even better for that, but presumably texting strikes a different balance that's better for social purposes than email is. It would be interesting to try to devise a communications method that has the advantages of texting (mild asynchrony, able to be used in a crowded/busy environment without sacrificing privacy, etc) but which is optimized for "write once, read once or twice" rather than "write once, read a thousand times". The other nice thing about text messaging is its asynchrony. Email is even better for that, but presumably texting strikes a different balance that’s better for social purposes than email is.

It would be interesting to try to devise a communications method that has the advantages of texting (mild asynchrony, able to be used in a crowded/busy environment without sacrificing privacy, etc) but which is optimized for “write once, read once or twice” rather than “write once, read a thousand times”.

]]> By: idlemind http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-788 idlemind Fri, 26 May 2006 02:58:13 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-788 The advantage of text messaging is that it is easier to control who "hears" it, and who doesn't. This seems to be quite important to some people (particularly teenagers) when communicating in a crowded environment. Also, it seems to me that there is an increasing use of text messaging (IM) in office environments as well, and away from the telephone. In the cubicle farms where many of us now work, this can be a blessing... Personally, I hate it; I'm not even that fond of the telephone and avoid it when a face-to-face conversation is possible. The advantage of text messaging is that it is easier to control who “hears” it, and who doesn’t. This seems to be quite important to some people (particularly teenagers) when communicating in a crowded environment. Also, it seems to me that there is an increasing use of text messaging (IM) in office environments as well, and away from the telephone. In the cubicle farms where many of us now work, this can be a blessing…

Personally, I hate it; I’m not even that fond of the telephone and avoid it when a face-to-face conversation is possible.

]]> By: Douglas Galbi http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-787 Douglas Galbi Tue, 23 May 2006 03:25:14 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-787 Hao, The difference between the unweighted and weighted frequencies might indicate the extent to which the design of letters evolved with the use of writing. If letters in writing systems that evolved over time (compared to those that a specific person invented at a specific date) vary in frequency in use to the extent they do in English (about a factor of 100), this would seem significant relative to the differences among configuration frequencies that you measured. Thanks for your comment. Hao,

The difference between the unweighted and weighted frequencies might indicate the extent to which the design of letters evolved with the use of writing. If letters in writing systems that evolved over time (compared to those that a specific person invented at a specific date) vary in frequency in use to the extent they do in English (about a factor of 100), this would seem significant relative to the differences among configuration frequencies that you measured.

Thanks for your comment.

]]> By: Hao http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-786 Hao Mon, 22 May 2006 00:38:56 +0000 http://purplemotes.net/2006/05/21/text-messaging-is-unnatural/#comment-786 Regarding your idea about investigating the weights of relative configurations in representative text: I'm not sure what conclusions could be drawn if the weighted frequency resulted in higher or lower correlations. The selection of letters in the design of written languages for ease of visual recognition is a plausible hypothesis. The design of a language such that certain configurations that are easy to recognize (L, T, X, etc.) seems to be a rather improbable event. This phenomenon, if true, would seem to suggest that either (1) the population using the language adjusted words accordingly to use "easy" letters more frequently or (2) at some point, they decided to rearrange the letters so that "easy" letters came up more often. For certain languages, this analysis might prove useful. Relatively recently designed alphabets, such as Hangul (used in Korean) could very well have a weighted frequency that is highly interesting to study. Also, I'm flattered you think I'm a professor. Check back in say 7 years. (5 for Ph. D and 2 for postdoc) Regarding your idea about investigating the weights of relative configurations in representative text:

I’m not sure what conclusions could be drawn if the weighted frequency resulted in higher or lower correlations. The selection of letters in the design of written languages for ease of visual recognition is a plausible hypothesis. The design of a language such that certain configurations that are easy to recognize (L, T, X, etc.) seems to be a rather improbable event. This phenomenon, if true, would seem to suggest that either (1) the population using the language adjusted words accordingly to use “easy” letters more frequently or (2) at some point, they decided to rearrange the letters so that “easy” letters came up more often.

For certain languages, this analysis might prove useful. Relatively recently designed alphabets, such as Hangul (used in Korean) could very well have a weighted frequency that is highly interesting to study.

Also, I’m flattered you think I’m a professor. Check back in say 7 years. (5 for Ph. D and 2 for postdoc)

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