[extropy-chat] language again, was Signaling and Social Markers

[spike]

...
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Lee Corbin
...
> 
> (My friends say I was the first in our group to use "google" as a verb;
> amn't I the first here to link as a verb?)

Yes and Lee I am grateful to you for being the first to use the term amn't.
The singularity could be delayed, perhaps critically, by our sloppy
inconsistent use of language.  We should fix it every chance we get, such a
Lee's "amn't I the first..."

> I sense signaling in grunge, but don't really have any more than a
> vague hunch... Lee

Yes, but Lee this is our endearing trait.  Perhaps our only endearing trait,
tragically, but we are two guys for which grunge simply would not work.  We
are two guys who are cool with acting our age and our intelligence.  We are
comfortable in our own brains, even if we are not hip.  I like being me.

But back to the singularity.  Perhaps the emergent AI would look around in
the internet archives to try to learn about humans.  So confused would that
AI become, a pity this.  Let us help the hapless being by identifying and
fixing where possible our language inconsistencies, so that general language
rules work more often.

For instance, when we have terms that are usually used in their negation,
let us attempt to use its opposite.  For instance, Eli referenced an unsung
website the other day.  I went there and found that it was a sung website.
Another instance: we often destroy things, but to create something out of a
pile of junk should be to stroy that thing.  

Let us attempt to stroy the English language, if possible.

spike