20 March 2011 - important language

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Applying Zipf’s Law

The language tells you what’s important. In Japanese, the word kaden for “consumer electronics” is slightly shorter than the word shinsai for “earthquake disaster”, but to politely say “was not” takes nine syllables.

clue:

de wa arimasen deshita - was not

give me a clue so sweet and true

the Daily Whale || copyright 2011, 2024 Jay J.P. Scott <jay@satirist.org>