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A future rosetta stone

PostPosted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:41 am
by BeckaSutton
Though maybe not on stone.

When I think about this question I think about how no one today can read the Inca's quipu and how it required the rosetta stone to translate Hieroglypics because the knowledge had been lost.

Therefore I think the best way to preserve vital knowledge would be in a form that was interlinear with multiple texts to multiply the chances that there will be a language known to the future people on there. Maybe a visual dictionary too. Language is a code and we need to make sure future codebreakers can find the key.

As to material - I'd say strong and durable not prone to break or decay. Stone, metal or plastic might all do.

Where? There should be multiple repositories around the globe. We don't know where civilization might re-emerge.

Becka

Re: A future rosetta stone

PostPosted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:06 pm
by Strongbow
interesting point - each one would be a learning experience rather just a book...

Re: A future rosetta stone

PostPosted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 3:11 pm
by germanforestgump
In evolution, species had invented two main strategies to transfer their reproduction into future:
- spreading their genetic construction plan as wide as possible by the biggest number of offsprings,
- or, investing their ressources in fewer, but more resistant offsprings.

The makers of the Rosetta Stone had invested in a hard material - so we had the chance to find it after a long time.

The globalisated production and traffic nowadays is producing a sort of "rosetta files" in giant masses:
- etikettes on products in several languages,
- instructions and handbooks of the correct using of products.

The chance is relatively big, that further archaeologists will find some of this multilingual files deep in our rubbish deponies.

But the risk to disappear completely is big for all the small languages wich are used by only a few hundred or thousand peoples.
So we should support efforts to keep them in use and to document them in a resistant form.

Specially we should make pressure on governments to stop their discrimination of minority idioms.

Re: A future rosetta stone

PostPosted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 6:48 pm
by Strongbow
Interesting reply - thank you!

I was curious with your part about smaller languages. Forgetting current politics, but would it not be more practical to use only the major languages spoken? If you are re-establishing society, you can use the opportunity to start again to have the best possible options. Would having a barely used language from wherever, be a sensible option? I love other cultures and societies (especially if I can can eat ;) ). Just a thought...

Re: A future rosetta stone

PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 1:08 pm
by germanforestgump
Hi Strongbow, of cause the newstart of civilisation in a "before-babylonic" status is very attractive and will avoid many misunderstandings and discriminations.

But think about, that tiny languages conserve very specific knowledge about ecosystems, klimate, natural ressources and rythms and social mechanisms of building communities.
We are not able to preview what aspects of those cultural knowledges we will need for rebuilding Culture.
Of course, the survivors will do it in a way, but they will not be able to know what they are missing...