The decreasing standards of written English

Do you know - I think information theory could be used to argue both for and against the merits of looser conformity to grammar, and inconsistency of spelling, in different contexts.
 
Chris Beard said:
Do you know - I think information theory could be used to argue both for and against the merits of looser conformity to grammar, and inconsistency of spelling, in different contexts.
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Information in a Shannon sense? Something like Genetic Learning algorithms which jump around the solution space in a pseudo random fashion, hoping to find better performance. Such as the typing monkeys creating Shakespearian plays?
 
Chris Beard said:
It's your buns - sorry, couldn't resist. Cross is such a lovely word. I knew a Mr Cross once - he did exactly what was it said on his tin, so to speak.
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It is isn't it. I'd love to embody my inner Jean-F; but I remember the first time I heard it in chat with a girl. Our eyes locked across a room. She asked, "dLockers, why are you cross with me?" and I knew, she would be the one.
 
Chris Beard said:
What's head cannon please? I mean, I can make an inference, but I'm genuinely interested having not encountered the term before now.
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It's a large calibre pistol attached to a helmet. Like a hand cannon, but mounted on your head rather than held in your hand.
 
Tuppy_Glossop said:
Information in a Shannon sense? Something like Genetic Learning algorithms which jump around the solution space in a pseudo random fashion, hoping to find better performance. Such as the typing monkeys creating Shakespearian plays?
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What I mean is the idea that in any message there is meaning and the study of how (and how efficiently and effectively) the meaning is conveyed is described by something called information theory.

For example the English language is very inefficient at conveying meaning, as there is lots of redundancy in the language. This was demonstrated a few posts back where a message with every second word deleted was left with the meaning largely in tact. The same can be done if you remove vowels from some sentences - the meaning is often retained.

However - there are other examples where meaning is wholly contingent on a specific item of grammar, or choice of tense or plural - all of which have also been demonstrated to good comic effect in this thread. I especially liked the reference to grandma :)
 
Chris Beard said:
What I mean is the idea that in any message there is meaning and the study of how (and how efficiently and effectively) the meaning is conveyed is described by something called information theory.

For example the English language is very inefficient at conveying meaning, as there is lots of redundancy in the language. This was demonstrated a few posts back where a message with every second word deleted was left with the meaning largely in tact. The same can be done if you remove vowels from some sentences - the meaning is often retained.

However - there are other examples where meaning is wholly contingent on a specific item of grammar, or choice of tense or plural - all of which have also been demonstrated to good comic effect in this thread. I especially liked the reference to grandma :)
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?
 
Chris Beard said:
I would not have guessed that from context - thank you
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I was being silly. Perhaps I should have been clearer about that.

I assume it was a mistaken spelling of 'head canon'.

Chuk_Chuk said:
Canon is material that is officially part of a story or universe. Head canon is when a person makes up their own story for said universe
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dLockers said:
It is isn't it. I'd love to embody my inner Jean-F; but I remember the first time I heard it in chat with a girl. Our eyes locked across a room. She asked, "dLockers, why are you cross with me?" and I knew, she would be the one.
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So - I did find this humorous, but I had no right to as it went completely over my head (canon)
 
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