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Center for the Study of Language. 1996. — 212 p. — ISBN: 1575860503 | PDF | | 11,4 mb
People are very creative in their use of language. This observation was made convincingly by Chomsky in the 1950s and is generally accepted in the scientific communities concerned with the study of language. Computers, on the other hand, are neither creative, flexible, nor adaptable. This is in spite of the fact that their ability to process language is based largely on the grammars developed by linguists and computer scientists. Thus, there is a mismatch between the observed human creativity and our ability as theorists to explain it.ContentsPrologue: Understanding information The fine power of a culture Crossing the boundaries Situation theory Whose mother is it? Sacks, norms, and mathematics LFZ analysis The PRF at work Interpreting the PRF
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LANGUAGE AT WORK CSLI Lecture Notes Number 66 LANGUAGE AT WORK Analyzing Communication Breakdown in the Workplace to Inform Systems Design KEITH DEVLIN DUSKA ROSENBERG CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE AND INFORMATION STANFORD, CALIFORNIA Copyright© 1996 CSLI Publications Center for the Study of Language and Information Leland Stanford Junior University Printed in the United States 00 99 98 97 96 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Devlin, Keith J. Language at work • analyzing communication breakdown in the workplace to inform systems design / Keith Devlin and Duska Rosenberg, p. cm. — (CSLI lecture notes ; no. 66) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 1-57586-050-3 (hbk.). ISBN 1-57586-051-1 (pbk.). 1. Communication in organizations—Data processing. 2. System design. 3. Context (Linguistics) 4. Information technology—Management. 5. Work groups—Data processing. I. Rosenberg, Duska, 1946- . II. Title. III. Series. HD30.3.D478 1996 658.4'038-dc20 96-24100 CIP CSLI was founded early in 1983 by researchers from Stanford University, SRI International, and Xerox PARC to further research and development of integrated theories of language, information, and computation CSLI headquarters and CSLI Publications are located on the campus of Stanford University CSLI Publications reports new developments in the study of language, information, and computation In addition to lecture notes, our publications include monographs, working papers, revised dissertations, and conference proceedings Our aim is to make new results, ideas, and approaches available as quickly as possible Please visit our website at http //csli-www Stanford edu/pubhcations/ for comments on this and other titles, as well as for changes and corrections by the author and publisher ©The acid-free paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39 48-1984 Contents Acknowledgments vii Prologue: Understanding information 1 1 The fine power of a culture 7 2 Crossing the boundaries 31 3 Situation theory 56 4 Whose mother is it? 79 5 Sacks, norms, and mathematics 103 6 LFZ analysis 126 7 The PRF at work 151 8 Interpreting the PRF 180 Epilogue 199 Bibliography 205 Index 211 Acknowledgments The work described in this book has benefited from our interactions with a number of colleagues. In particular Herb Clark, Chris Hutchison, David Israel, John Perry, and Stanley Peters have all provided us with useful input at various stages of the research. Bernie Cohen and David Leevers gave us feedback on the manuscript in