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Do you speak computer and human?

I've observed a connection between lovers of computer languages, and lovers of human languages.

If you are interested in coding or linguistics, are you interested in both or just one of of the two? If only one interests you, which one and why? If both interest you, do they seem related to one another?

63 comments
  • From ASM till Python I know a godless unhealthy amount of languages, design pattern, principles etc but I suck at languages, sometimes I can't even speak my mother tounge fluent.

  • I'm interested in Linguistics. Not deeply interested on the sets of instructions used by computers, although I know a bit of bash (does it count?).

    I think that "programming languages" is at most an overused, overextended metaphor. It's on the same level as saying that a language is "alive" - sure, you can get a few interesting outcomes from the metaphor, but you need to remember that metaphors become mushy once pulled and pushed hard enough.

  • I code in a few languages and I've always wanted to know more than one "human" language but efforts in that area have more or less consistently failed (exception being Esperanto because that's easy, but since hardly anyone speaks it it's not exactly useful).

    Despite my interest in both I doubt there's much of a correlation when you look at programmers (or polyglots) as a group, though. For all we call all of these things "languages" there's a pretty big distinction and difference in complexity and approach between the computer and human ones, it's a whole different hobby.

    I'd compare coding more to other hobbies that involve making things. I knit a jumper, I develop a video game...scratches same itch.

    Or possibly problem-solving hobbies. I work out how to adjust a sewing pattern to fit, I solve a tricksy sudoku...again same itch.

  • Both are fascinating to me. I have also met a lot of people who are interested in both. I don't think it's a coincidence. There's something really interesting about the way we can use symbols and signifiers to encode and transmit and preserve information. Any kind of information.

    Coding requires you to say precisely what you mean. Give clear instructions. Define exactly the pieces you are working with. There is really no room for ambiguity, and there's something really satisfying to the logical side of my brain about that kind of rigidity.

    But that's exactly why linguistics is interesting to the other side of my brain. Human language is full of fuzzy categories, changing definitions, unwritten rules, unspoken connotations, creative repurposing, borrowing, taboos... You can add dimensions of meaning with text, your voice, your eyes, the movement of your body. You can pack so much nuance into a single word or phrase; a subtle hint can mean so much more than what you are literally saying. You can intentionally encode a message so that it is NOT understood. There is infinite malleability in human language.

    This is why it's so exciting to see such progress in natural language processing. Large language models kind of blur the lines and begin to "understand" and respond to the ambiguities of the way we use language (at least in a kind of probabilistic sense). But they are also learning our programming languages. Right now, we can converse with AI models that can write (basic) code for us and with us, and make changes based on our conversational language. Imagine one day programming in plain language without that intermediary step!

  • I speak English, Portuguese and German fluently. I have pretty decent knowledge of French, and can understand a good deal of Spanish. I am also able to read Arabic. I like learning languages, and I like comparing the intricacies between languages, though I wouldn't say I'm interested in linguistics.

    When it comes to programming, I know C++, python and rust. I don't think there is a correlation to liking languages and programming languages, they are very different.

  • Also both for me ! (even subscribed to programmer_humor and also linguistics_humor here on Lemmy)

    Story time:
    \ When I was at school, I hated languages (as a native French, English was a PAIN for me), but already was programming for fun outside school. Since I finished school, I grown interest in linguistics as well. I think for me it's more because manga and animes, and because I am curious, so I wanted to understand all the little parts in texts... So I learned Japanse, then improved my English... then went curious about chinese... Spanish... And at this point, I don't even learn new languages (too much time), I only searched for differences, construction and all; and that is where I discovered Linguistics basically.

    Difference between human & computer language:
    \ I heard that part of the brain that process Human language and Computer language is the same, that may be the reason, idk

    They seems to be really different though, you don't "Speak" or write a computer program like you write a text or a poem, it's a totally different thinking process. The same way, you never read code from top to bottom left to right (reason why unindented code is AWFUL to read), it's more about looking around what's going on, to understand what the whole is doing. Sentences are way less dependent on the context (and WAYYYYY less dependent on what follows) to understand them.

    But in a way, with time, we lean patterns, and know to recognize them (both in human and computer language), that may be the reason why they are both on the same part of the brain

  • I'm interested in both! I program in Python, and I'm trying to get more into linguistics.

    Computer languages are just so straight to the point. If something goes wrong, it's your fault for not specifying. It's beautiful that way. I also love the problem-solving involved.

    Human language is the complete opposite and I love it for that too. It's full of ambiguity, and so many words seem related to each other - but with their own little nuances. If you say a certain word, it may have synonyms but most synonyms can't give that exact meaning that a certain word gives. There are also soo many undertones you can say with a certain word. Once, my friend accidentally said 'denigration' instead of 'desegregation' (in context to black people and white people) which I found really interesting considering 'denigration' was derived from the Latin word for 'black' (the n-word) and meant 'to get rid of the bad things', therefore associating black with bad.

    Do they seem related? I dunno. I just love patterns and I love how languages convey meaning, whether computer or human.

  • I love linguistics and learning new languages. The numerous times I've ever tried to teach myself how to code, I'm always able to recognize and understand the basic building blocks, but none of it is able to cement itself in my mind enough for me to do anything with it. To me at least, it's not as intuitive as spoken language.

  • I consider myself a computer language nerd. I read language specs and write compilers for fun. I wouldn't say I have any interest in human language at all. I took two years of German in high school (required) and have done a lot of Spanish Duolingo, but that fact is that as a native of the western US I simply have no use for any language other than English.

  • I'm interested in linguistics in a linguistic way. Languages tell something about a culture. For examply by what subjects have many words and which don't. Or how seperated ranks in society are by the amount of (used) formality forms. The level of directness might corolate to the level of pragmatism. What foreign influence there is can be partly seen by loanwords and writing symbols. Etc. Etc.

    But computer languages are hardly linguistic, most of them are just English in a specific syntax. I love computers, but they interest me in a technical way. Even the best AI relies on switches turning off and on, yes and no's, 1's and 0's. It's black and white logical mathmatics. In the end, programming languages are little more than "the creator thought this was a good way to handle which switches should go on and off", and you just use what's most practical for your use-case. That is, quantum computers aside, but even those are similar in that really. Just more complex.

63 comments