Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English • Hacker News Board

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#161

Post by recursive » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:24 AM UTC

gnaritas wrote: post #145

AndrewUnmuted wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The technique is working quite well for Donald Trump: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/15/ho... > Some of his answers last only a few seconds, some are slightly longer, but almost all consist of simple sentences, grammatically and conceptually, and most of them withhold their most important word or phrase until the very end. Trump’s sentences end with a pop, and he seems to know instinctively wh…

He speaks like a child, it works because his base is stupid and they relate. It's not a skill, he just isn't that bright.

You might be surprised. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rksd80-FCAw

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#162

Post by traviswingo » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:27 AM UTC

I think this is really great. I have just tasked the people in my company to use this to explain our company in 100 words or less, without losing context and making sense. :p

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#163

Post by lallysingh » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:33 AM UTC

Actually, a version of this as an aspell dictionary would be lovely. Have your favorite editor highlight all the words that don't fit.

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#164

Post by swiley » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:41 AM UTC

gregschlom wrote: post #24

Am I the only one to find that using only the 1,000 most common words actually makes thing harder to understand? The writer ends up having to use convoluted paraphrases to refer to things where a precise, well defined and well understood word exists but it's not part of the top 1,000.

It's kind of like "limit" and "dx/dy" in calculus compared to the crazy long prose people in ancient times had to write.

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#165

Post by Brajeshwar » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:41 AM UTC

Hemingway[1] is a good editor too. It does not have word limitations. It does a good job to make sure your sentences are not complex, long, and boring.

1. http://www.hemingwayapp.com/

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#166

Post by okyup » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:45 AM UTC

AndrewUnmuted wrote: post #42

gregschlom wrote: post #24

Am I the only one to find that using only the 1,000 most common words actually makes thing harder to understand? The writer ends up having to use convoluted paraphrases to refer to things where a precise, well defined and well understood word exists but it's not part of the top 1,000.

The technique is working quite well for Donald Trump: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/15/ho... > Some of his answers last only a few seconds, some are slightly longer, but almost all consist of simple sentences, grammatically and conceptually, and most of them withhold their most important word or phrase until the very end. Trump’s sentences end with a pop, and he seems to know instinctively wh…

Trump bashing is lame. Trump has used words in his speeches that you probably couldn't define. I heard him casually use PROGNOSTICATION a couple weeks ago. He's not dumb.

It's actually a sign of intelligence to use the simplest language necessary when expressing yourself to a broad audience (many with low education). People who use unnecessarily large words are usually doing it to try to sound smarter than they are and to build up their own egos.

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#167

Post by manachar » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:50 AM UTC

escherize wrote: post #160

manachar wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm with Orwell on this one. Whether by design or "happy" accident, Trump exemplifies the trend for politicians to be vague. Or as he puts it, speaking like this "is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_and_the_English_Langu...

Is this the syllogism? Trump uses political language political language makes murder respectable ------ Trump makes murder respectable Why focus on Trump then? Care to name a politician who's not using political language? That seems to be an oxymoron. Trump was against the Iraq War, probably the biggest killing event of the last xxx years.

No, this wasn't intended to slyly indicate that "Trump makes murder respectable". Were I to make that bold accusation I'd want to debate that on another forum than HN and base it on things Trump has actually stated.

Regardless of politics, Trump has a very idiosyncratic approach to speaking. His mastery of this approach reminds me strongly of the Orwell essay linked above.

I've no desire to debate Trumps policies on HN, but find his approach to speaking quite interesting.

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#168

Post by Myrmornis » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 1:57 AM UTC

Ouch, that first example. "Hard to figure out for people"?

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#169

Post by personjerry » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 2:00 AM UTC

I feel like this would be much better as, say, a dictionary file for Word; the restriction seems too aggressive (i.e. what if I want a name?).

Re: Cleartext: A text editor that only allows the 1,000 most common words in English

#170

Post by escherize » Thu, Apr 07, 2016, 2:01 AM UTC

manachar wrote: post #167

escherize wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this the syllogism? Trump uses political language political language makes murder respectable ------ Trump makes murder respectable Why focus on Trump then? Care to name a politician who's not using political language? That seems to be an oxymoron. Trump was against the Iraq War, probably the biggest killing event of the last xxx years.

No, this wasn't intended to slyly indicate that "Trump makes murder respectable". Were I to make that bold accusation I'd want to debate that on another forum than HN and base it on things Trump has actually stated. Regardless of politics, Trump has a very idiosyncratic approach to speaking. His mastery of this approach reminds me strongly of the Orwell essay linked above. I've no desire to debate Trumps policies on…

Thanks for clarifying. I do agree that his speaking style is different and interesting.