Figure 1. The field association above the main sign denotes male or female
CD Review
The Elephants Memory
The Elephants Memory is a computer iconic environment which allows the user to build a visual message by combining symbols from a vocabulary of approximately one hundred and fifty separate graphic elements. These elements have a syntactic order of arrangement within the system as an essential part of its visual grammar. The system was developed by Timothy Ingen Housz as, 'a metaphor of language learning'. The software was created in Macromedia Director and consists of a series of 'dragable sprites' which trigger a response when the elements are combined into a message. This interactivity allows the user of the program to experiment. The eventual aim of the project is to create a visual communication language that can be delivered through computer networks. This will allow different groups to engage and exchange messages through the cultural familiarity of the iconography without any phonetic underpinning.
On receiving a copy of the Memoire d' elephant, all the documentation was in French. If the evaluation of a visual language is to succeed, then my disregard of the manual was following in the finest traditions of the Macintosh user. The intuitive nature of the Macintosh interface, and the design standardisation of its software, tend to make experienced users resort to manuals as their last hope - f all else fails then use the manual. The software being reviewed, was not the full working program, but a demonstration version with an English 'voice over'. Again, in the spirit of the project's communicative aims, the volume was turned off. Like the finer typographic features of QuarkXPress, the subtle points of syntax of this iconic language might have been overlooked. What is important is an overview of the system, and not the finer nuances to establish its potential success or failure. However, it became obvious from an early stage how syntactic infliction altered the meaning of the main signs.
In the development of any system, simple representations denote meaning: it is impossible to associate the Egyptian (c.4000BC) pictographic drawing of a Bull,or the Sumerian (c.3500BC) simplified lines which represent the bull as the Roman fetter 'a'. Similarities can be easily identified in the Elephants Memory, the Sumerian sign for man (penis) and woman (vulva) are only separated by graphic stylisation (Figure l). These additional elements are associated with the main sign to add further meaning.
Figure 1. The field association above the main sign denotes male or female
Again, history informs us that human interaction has always needed to record and convey information; this fundamental requirement has changed little since the first commercial transactions were incised in clay tablets some 6,000 years ago. Likewise, the Elephants Memory demonstrates these principles through the notion of object/value and trade (Figure 2). These object/value elements are joined to the 'actors' to denote that a transaction is taking place. Again, these grouped elements can have other object/value elements assigned to alter the meaning. The Mixtec and Aztec both spoke different languages; they found it unnecessary to evolve beyond pictographic and ideographic signs. Both cultures could communicate and trade through the script. David Kelly is a Mesoamerican scholar and linguist, he believes that the primitive nature of ideographic scripts used by the Mixtec and Aztec scribes was, 'one of the crowning achievements of Mesoamerican culture, which might well be adopted, with appropriate modifications, for international commerce today'.1
Figure 2. Exchange and Trade. The two 'actors' are talking something from each other
Like the development of many systems, the Elephants Memory groups units of meaning together-'! hear the rabbit' (Figure 3a), 'I hear several rabbits' (Figure 3b). The graphic elements are clear; the rabbit, arrow and ear are free from ambiguity. The associated fields and their position denote further meaning; the two dots below the rabbit in Figure 3b inform use that there are many rabbits (plural) and the 'actor' representation of 'self' above the ear in both illustrations inform us who is hearing. We know that the event is to hear the rabbit, and not to listen for rabbits because of the direction of the arrow. Other graphic elements can be added; the telephone (Figure 3c) now alters the message to read,'l hear the rabbit on the telephone'. By changing the direction of the arrow, the message now means that,'I am listening to several rabbits on the telephone' (Figure 3d).
To construct a visual writing system that is not linked to any particular language, with unambiguous usage, could enable mediated human computer-human interaction across national boundaries, but it can only develop if there is a return on the user's investment in the time taken to learn the system. Unnatural and forced developments of a system tends to be regulated by the needs of the user. Charles Bliss developed a simple system of one hundred basic symbols that could be combined in any combination to express a fundamental meaning in any language.2 Bliss applied this to specific scenarios such as science, industry, commerce, traffic and so on. Geoffrey Sampson also explores the possibility of constructing a writing system out of symbols that have no necessary connection with language. 3 Like the Elephants Memory if all linguistic underpinning is 3b. I hear several rabbits removed our understanding is confined within the barriers of cultural familiarity, or the specialist visual language of a defined group.
A selection of screens from the Interactive demonstration program, which explains the grammatical and syntactical structure, and the meaning of the main visual elements. The final section tests the users understanding of the Elephants Memory
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak conceived an intuitive interface between user and computer in 1983.4 New media requires a new language, and the Graphical User Interface (GUI), like the development of other systems, is routed in pictographic representation. The simplicity of the Elephants Memory goes no further than the requirements of a utilitarian language for the GUI. To go further would be regulated by the influence of the user who is central to the development of any system. Mealing and Yazdani (1990) explained that successful icons have remained 'clear, unambiguous, without linguistic bias, adaptable and simple'.5
Computer iconography has evolved rapidly and reuses visual utilitarian elements which have clear meaning, discarding thoroughly meaningless or untimely developments. Investment in learning a system needs purpose, and the Elephant's Memory now needs commercial and educational partners to develop that purpose. Housz (1996) recognises that,'as the Internet turns into a global multi-lingual community, the project searches for new ways to bridge cultures, and to build transitional spaces between natural languages'.
Notes
Kelly, D. (1976)
1 Deciphering the Maya Script, University of Texas Press,Austin, pl66. (return)
2 Bliss, C. (1965) One Writing for One World, Semantography (Blissymbolics) Publications. (return)
3 Sampson, G. (1985) Writing Systems, Hutchinson p26-45.(return)
4 'Polishing the Apple' What Micro?, December 1986, pl4. (return)
5 Mealing, S.,Yazdani, M. (1990) A Computer-based Iconic Language, Intelligent Tutoring Media, 1 (3) pp l33-6(return)
Potential commercial and academic partners should contact: Timothy Ingen Housz Kunsthochschule fur Medien Koln, Germany
email: timot@khm.de
http://www.khm.de/
Reviewed by Paul Honeywil
Programme Director, PgDip/MA
Publishing, University of Plymouth.