Re: Langauge Constets (was Natural Semantic Metalanguage)

On Nov 21, 2007 5:13 PM,  <MorphemeAddict@...> wrote:
> In a message dated 11/21/2007 8:03:00 AM Central Standard Time,
> lars.finsen@ORTYGIA.NO writes:
>
>
> > I think if enough derivational morphemes are allowed, it should be
> > possible to create a fully usable language from much less than 20
> > words.
In other words, 20 roots and a larger number of affixes?
That seems like cheating.

>> If mathematics can be derived from just two entities, 0 and 1,
> > why not a speaking language? I think the words 'here' and 'there' are
> > a good place to start,
> How can mathematics be derived from just '0' and '1'?  You have to be able to
> combine them somehow, and that means adding an operation, which immediately
> means a third item.
It seems you could make a good start, at least -- I'm not sure
about deriving the whole of mathematics -- with one number, 1,
and two operations, addition and subtraction.  0 is 1 minus 1.

You could also do it with one operation (addition) and two
numbers, 1 and -1.

--
Jim Henry
http://www.pobox.com/~jimhenry

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