Unspeakableness - Personalised Langauges 2020
2020
Unspeakabless - Personalised Languages 2020 is an re-production of the 2012 project ‘Unspeakableness’ which explores the conceptual space of polyglots. As a part of the ‘traNslatioNs - Understanding Misunderstanding’ at 21_21 Design Sight, four participants with multi-culture background living in Tokyo have been invited to a task, where they talked about their life experiences with different languages. From which, they created their own monologue using the languages they choose using the following algorithm as a way to create a language that appears most expressive and closest to their heart.
Algorithm for Generating Personalised Language
paragraph = write_self_description(first_language)
best_words = []
for word in words_of(paragraph)
append(best_words , first(sort_by_attachment(translations_of(word))))
end
do
fix_grammar(best_words)
rephrase(best_words)
while sounds_weird(best_words)
best_words = []
for word in words_of(paragraph)
append(best_words , first(sort_by_attachment(translations_of(word))))
end
do
fix_grammar(best_words)
rephrase(best_words)
while sounds_weird(best_words)
Algorithm in Human Language Translation
- Compose a paragraph that would represent yourself in the language you are most familiar with. Do not afraid to use words from other languages if you find them relevant.
- Go through the texts word by word. For each word, search your language database for the most powerful, emotional-attached, or memories-attached translation. Example: If you find the word "stars" in Chinese sounds more beautiful than any other languages you know, then use it.
- Review the translated words, fix the grammar using the grammar system you find most natural. Rephrase any oddities to something that sounds more natural when spoken.
- Read it out loud. If weird, repeat step 2 to 4.