Re: Stunting Language Expression

From: Kenneth Whistler (kenw@sybase.com)
Date: Thu Jan 09 1997 - 13:09:36 EST


Sandeep Sibal (sibal@att.com) wrote:

> However computers are
> becoming so pervasive, that limitations of an encoding scheme can
> stunt language expression. Linguists, folks whose mother-tongue is
> XYZ have as much of an interest in Unicode.

!! This is like someone coming into a 31-flavors ice cream store
and exclaiming, "But my choices are so limited!" Unicode is, bar none,
the richest and most complete character encoding in the history of
information technology. And work is continuously underway to extend
it to new scripts not currently covered in Version 2.0.

Furthermore, the limitations are not in the encoding scheme, but in
the implementations of software that uses it--which, by the way, is
why many of the engineers who have worked on Unicode are busy working
on the implementations right now.

Finally, I find it mind-boggling that anyone would whine about
the stunting of language expression in the midst of the greatest
florescence of worldwide multilingual communication--
enabled by and driven by computer technology--in the history of
humankind's use of language!

--Ken Whistler (a linguist)

U+03B5 U+0313 U+0301 U+03BF U+03B9 U+03BA U+03B1 U+0020
U+03B5 U+0313 U+03C0 U+03BF U+03B9 U+03BA U+03C4
U+03B9 U+0304 U+0301 U+03C1 U+03B5 U+03B9 U+03BD U+0020
U+03C3 U+03B5

(Limited not by Unicode, but by 7-bit mailers and my text
editor!)



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