Re: [apps-discuss] I-D Action: draft-ietf-appsawg-rfc3536bis-00.txt

[Andrew Sullivan <[e-mail]>]

On Mon, May 09, 2011 at 08:06:16AM +0300, Mykyta Yevstifeyev wrote:
> >    language
> >
> >       A language is a way that humans interact.  The use of language
> >       occurs in many forms, the most common of which are speech,
> >       writing, and signing.<NONE>
> I think this definition is not correct.  "A way that humans
> interact" is too generalized.  I suppose the following definition
> would suit better here.
> 
> >    language
> >
> >       A language is a set of conventions on rules affecting humans'
> >       speech.  The most common use of a language is speaking and
> >       writing. <NONE>

Please, no.  Apart from the other remarks that Paul and John made,
this imports a controversial position about how language works.  It is
not at all clear that language is either a set of conventions or a set
of rules, unless you define "conventions" or "rules" broadly enough so
that computer geeks' heads would explode.

If one is too uncomfortable with "interact", I could contemplate an argument
for "communicate" instead.  

A

-- 
Andrew Sullivan
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