> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://linguisticdiscovery.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Deciphering the Singapore Stone - URL: https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/2026-12/ - Published: 2026-03-28T19:40:47.000Z - Updated: 2026-03-29T12:15:07.000Z - Description: Also this week: The linguistics of Project Hail Mary + The beautiful linguistic chaos of Iran + Your dog might be eavesdropping on you (linguistically) - Author: Daniel W. Hieber, Ph.D. - Tags: Current Linguistics, lingcomm, Chitimacha, language endangerment, language revitalization, xenolinguistics, Project Hail Mary, baby talk, infant-directed speech, AI, India, writing systems, epigraphy, proto-writing, animal communication, Icelandic, English, spelling, Iran, etymology Welcome to this week’s edition of *Discovery Digest*, a weekly roundup of the latest language-related news, research in linguistics, interesting reads from the week, and newest books and other media dealing with language and linguistics! [📧 Subscribe](#/portal/signup/free) ## 📢 Updates & Announcements *Announcements and what’s new with me and Linguistic Discovery.* ### Writing linguistics for general audiences Back in February I joined LingCommers (Linguistics Communicators) [Danny Bate](https://dannybate.com/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com), [Jess Zafarris](https://jesszafarris.com/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com), [Gaston Dorren](https://languagewriter.com/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com), and [Marco Neves](https://www.marconeves.pt/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) as part of a panel on writing linguistics for general audiences, and now the video is available! If you’re also interested in LingComm and want to learn more, have a watch: ### A Language I Love Is… Chitimacha! ![Podcast cover for “A Language I Love Is…” with bold, high-contrast typography on a colorful background with languages across the background, styled as a modern podcast thumbnail.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2026/03/image-55.png) I appeared on the podcast *A Language I Love Is…* this week to talk to Danny L. Bate, author of the book *Why Q needs U: A history of our letters and how we use them* ([Amazon](https://amzn.to/48cqczp?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) | [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/110785/9781785307447?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com)), about my work with the [Chitimacha tribe of Louisiana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitimacha?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) to help revitalize their language. This is now the second time I’ve been interviewed by Danny (the first being as part of a panel on [writing linguistics for public audiences](https://youtu.be/4%5FolnG0N78c?si=yAALVgVsoVqO6fQr&ref=linguisticdiscovery.com)), and it’s quickly become apparent to me that he’s very good at it. His excellent questions gave me a chance to talk about language endangerment and revitalization a bit more generally, as well as some cool facts about language isolates and the history of linguistics. Have a listen at the links! Also be sure to check out Danny’s Substack here: [Danny Bate | SubstackPurveyor of articles and fun facts about languages of history and the history of languages. Linguist, writer, broadcaster, podcaster, author of the new book ‘Why Q Needs U’. BA, MPhil, PhD, etc. etc.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/icon-10.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com%2Fapi%2Fv1%2Fprofile%2Fassets%2F29599143%2Flight%3FaspectRatio%3Dlink%26version%3D1)](https://substack.com/@dannylbate?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) In the podcast I also mention a few chapters I’ve written about the Chitimacha language. You can read those here: - [**The Chitimacha language: A history.** In *Language in Louisiana: Community and culture* (*America’s Third Coast*), pp. 9–27\. (2019). University Press of Mississippi.](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334859871%5FThe%5FChitimacha%5Flanguage%5FA%5Fhistory?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) - [**Chitimacha.** In *The languages and linguistics of indigenous North America: A comprehensive guide*, Vol. 2 (*The World of Linguistics* 13.2), pp. 1519–1543\. (2024). De Gruyter.](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335430338%5FChitimacha?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) ## 🆕 New from Linguistic Discovery *This week’s content from Linguistic Discovery.* ### What type of language is Eridian, question? ![Screenshot of the character Rocky from the movie Project Hail Mary, saying “Language! Amaze! Amaze!”](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2026/03/image-56.png) There are few things I enjoy more than a sci-fi story where the characters have to figure out how an alien language works. Why? Because it’s linguistic fieldwork! Xenolinguistics! When writers handle this well, the methods of decipherment adopted by the characters look remarkably like how real-world linguists approach the process of documenting a hitherto undocumented language, and you get fantastic stories like Denis Villeneuve’s movie *Arrival*, based on Ted Chiang’s short story “Story of Your Life”. And when writers handle this poorly, you get *Star Trek*’s universal translator—the most boring and implausible linguistic plot device in the history of linguistic plot devices. (Why would you *minimize* the amount of linguistics in a story? It makes no sense! Even *The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy* takes a paragraph to explain how babelfish work.) So imagine my delight when I discovered 176 pages into *Project Hail Mary* that I was about to get another interspecies language documentation project! Jazz hands! 👐 In this article I look at the linguistics of *Project Hail Mary* and see how it holds up against the real-world science. Since the movie was pretty faithful to the book in terms of linguistics, this should serve as a useful explainer for the movie as well. [What kind of language is Eridian, question?The linguistics of Project Hail Mary![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/languages-bordered-121.png)Linguistic DiscoveryDaniel W. Hieber, Ph.D.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/Rocky-banner-2.png)](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/project-hail-mary/) ### Do all cultures use baby talk? ![A baby wearing oversized black glasses sits on the floor holding an open picture book, with scattered letters floating from the child’s mouth against a white background.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2026/03/image-57.png) Is baby talk universal? Or is it just a weird American habit that most cultures don’t do? In the latest issue of my series on the science of talking to tiny humans, we’ll look at claims that some languages don’t have baby talk, and see whether they hold up to scrutiny. [Do all cultures use baby talk?Or is baby talk just something that white middle class Americans do?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/languages-bordered-122.png)Linguistic DiscoveryDaniel W. Hieber, Ph.D.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/banner-6.png)](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/baby-talk-4/) Check out the rest of the series at the links below! ### ℹ️ Articles in this Series - **Part 1:** [Why you should be talking to your infant](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/p/9181f587-0494-48ba-87a1-5a6aba5eed4c/) - **Part 2:** [What’s the point of baby talk?](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/baby-talk-2/) - **Part 3:** [Is baby talk good for your child?](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/baby-talk-3/) - **Part 4:** [Do all cultures use baby talk?](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/baby-talk-4/) - **Part 5:** Baby talk in the languages of the world \[forthcoming\] - **Part 6:** How much should you talk to your child? - **Part 7:** What really matters when talking to your child ## 📰 In the News *Language and linguistics in the news.* ### India aims to make its national AI available in the country’s many languages ![Three Indian women sitting together with their attention focused on something on a phone screen in front of the middle woman.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2026/03/image-58.png) > About 2 years ago, India’s Maharashtra state took advantage of the nation’s government-backed artificial intelligence platform, Bhashini, to launch an AI-powered app for farmers. The goal was to provide information on topics such as government agriculture schemes, weather, pests, and crop prices in the state’s dominant Marathi language. It wasn’t long before officials in the largely tribal district of Nandurbar received a call. The app made no sense to people speaking an ancient tribal Bhili language, the caller said. Could their language please be included, too? > > Such are the challenges facing Bhashini, India’s ambitious effort to make AI available to everyone in a country of 1.4 billion, with deep disparities in education and economics and countless languages. “There are over 100 languages spoken in India with thousands of dialects and less than 25 to 30 languages are included in AI space so far,” says Santosh Kevlani, voice and language head at Bengaluru, India–based EkStep Foundation, which supports open digital tech for large-scale social impact. - [India’s national AI platform tackles the country’s many tongues: Bhashini aims to put the power of AI in the hands of all Indians](https://www.science.org/content/article/india-s-national-ai-platform-tackles-country-s-many-tongues?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) (*Science*) ### Deciphering the Singapore Stone ![A tracing of one of the remnant pieces of the Singapore Stone](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2026/03/image-59.png) Researchers have developed a new text prediction algorithm aimed at deciphering the Singapore Stone—and any other fragmentary texts. [Cracking the code: How a “prediction machine” is resurrecting the Singapore StoneSome years ago, my linguistic research team and I started to develop a computational tool aimed at reconstructing the text of the Singapore Stone. Now that software is ready.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/web-app-logo-192x192-2d05bdd6de6328146de80245d4685946-71.png)The ConversationFrancesco Perono Cacciafoco![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/file-20260225-71-xjns8f.jpg)](https://theconversation.com/cracking-the-code-how-a-prediction-machine-is-resurrecting-the-singapore-stone-276642?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) ## 🗞️ Current Linguistics *Recently published research in linguistics.* ### More (misrepresentative) reporting on Stone Age proto-writing *Popular Mechanics* reports on a recent study, which I wrote about [the other week](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/stone-age-proto-writing/), that finds evidence that Paleolithic engravings were actually a form of proto-writing. But like most media outlets that have reported on the study, *Popular Mechanics* conflates **writing** (the graphical representation of *language*) with **proto-writing** (which only conveys limited, non-linguistic information). Basically, they confuse writing with symbols. All writing is symbolic, but not all symbols are writing. [Archaeologists May Have Discovered the Oldest Form of Writing—EverAround 40,000 years ago, Paleolithic people inscribed bone with symbols that appear to be part of some sort of writing system.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon.5d5fa0d-3.png)Popular MechanicsElizabeth Rayne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/four-dits-in-da-wood-royalty-free-image-1772834307.pjpeg)](https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a70526396/archaeologists-may-have-discovered-the-oldest-form-of-writingever/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) Want to learn more about the difference between writing and proto-writing, and how the findings from that study are even cooler than “oldest writing discovered”? Check out this issue of the newsletter: [Do these Stone Age symbols push back the origins of writing by tens of thousands of years?Nope. The real finding is even cooler.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/languages-bordered-123.png)Linguistic DiscoveryDaniel W. Hieber, Ph.D.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/cover-6.png)](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/stone-age-proto-writing/) ### Your dog might be eavesdropping on you (linguistically) This is some additional reporting on research I reported [a couple weeks back](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/2026-06/) about the certain dog prodigies that learn words like human infants do: [Your dog might be eavesdropping on your conversations – and learning words from them | BBC Science Focus MagazineCertain extra-clever dogs can learn words like human toddlers, by listening to family members’ conversations.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/web_kiosk_favicon_1-1.ico)BBC Science Focus Magazineharriet.willmothourmedia.co.uk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/Dogs-2.jpg)](https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/gifted-dog-eavesdropping-learn-words?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) - Dror et al. 2026\. Dogs with a large vocabulary of object labels learn new labels by overhearing like 1.5-year-old infants. *Science* 391(6781): 160–163\. DOI: [https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adq5474](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adq5474?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com). ## 📃 This Week’s Reads *Interesting articles I’ve come across this week.* A brief introduction to Icelandic and the language history of Iceland: [What Language Do They Speak in Iceland? - Rosetta StoneWhat language do they speak in Iceland? Icelandic, of course! Learn about Icelandic’s ancient roots, neologisms, dialects, and the unofficial languages used across the country.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/cropped-RS-logo-20.png)Rosetta StoneJacyb Porter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/Shutterstock_2511524839-1.jpg)](https://blog.rosettastone.com/what-language-do-they-speak-in-iceland/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) [Why English spelling actually does make senseEnglish spelling is optimal, from a certain point of view![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F310d0223-9c59-42bd-a916-905ade8897a2-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-19.png)Dead Language SocietyColin Gorrie![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4f1a0fa2-fff3-4d4c-b577-f8f03e0da22d_1600x1178.jpeg)](https://open.substack.com/pub/colingorrie/p/why-english-spelling-does-make-sense) [The beautiful linguistic chaos of modern IranAuthoritarian governments have pushed Farsi’s dominance – but 59 other languages still thrive![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd837d35b-86f3-46ae-b745-86d5dd4ae214-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2.png)The New WorldThe New World![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F54616c86-8eff-4513-b389-a1668eaa127e_4800x2700.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/thenewworld/p/the-beautiful-linguistic-chaos-of) [Project Hail Mary is in theaters—but do the linguistics work?Ars speaks with linguistics professor Dr. Betty Birner about the ease with which Grace and Rocky communicate.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/cropped-ars-logo-512_480-300x300-2.png)Ars TechnicaLee Hutchinson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/phm-text-bubbles-1152x648-1.jpg)](https://arstechnica.com/culture/2026/03/project-hail-mary-is-in-theaters-but-do-the-linguistics-work/?ref=linguisticdiscovery.com) Check out my own take on this topic here: [What kind of language is Eridian, question?The linguistics of Project Hail Mary![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/icon/languages-bordered-124.png)Linguistic DiscoveryDaniel W. Hieber, Ph.D.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/thumbnail/Rocky-banner-3.png)](https://linguisticdiscovery.com/posts/project-hail-mary/) ## 👋🏼 Till next week! The words *muscle* and *mussel* both come from a word meaning ‘small mouse’! Starkey Comics has the details [here](https://www.facebook.com/starkeycomics/posts/pfbid02DpgQgRP32Xm1Yemoj8xSMfhnTkExRA4XheDYojseeAJCDaHMPtbP4Xe5KxfJhj9jl). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c7/75/c775a216-7ca2-4c5f-96a7-f2defe0fd756/content/images/2026/03/image-60.png) 📚 The Amazon and Bookshop links on this site are affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission from Amazon for purchases made through them (at no extra cost to you). If you’d like to support Linguistic Discovery, purchasing through these links is a great way to do so! I greatly appreciate your support! 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