The Talking Heads Experiment, conducted in the years 1999-2001, was the first large-scale experiment in which open populations of situated embodied agents created for the first time ever a new shared vocabulary by playing language games about real world scenes in front of them. The agents could teleport to different physical sites in the world through the Internet. Sites, in Antwerp, Brussels, Paris, Tokyo, London, Cambridge and several other locations were linked into the network. Humans could interact with the robotic agents either on site or remotely through the Internet and thus influence the evolving ontologies and languages of the artificial agents.
The term Iroquois describes one of American history's most influential Native American confederacies, the Haudenosaunee, or "People of the Longhouse." Based mainly in present-day New York State, they played a major role in regional trade and diplomacy. The Iroquois also helped influence the democratic ways of life in the new United States through Benjamin Franklin, a Founding Father. Enduring the theft of much of their traditional land base, the Iroquois fought proposals to force them to leave their homelands. The Iroquois describes the significant influence these people had on the creation of the modern United States and their continued roles in American society.
Combining carefully researched information with illustrations and documentary photographs, this collection of true stories tells of hauntings in all their forms from ghoulish happenings in churchyards to ghostly goings-on in everyday situations.
From the dawn of civilization to the modern dilemmas of nation building in Africa and the Middle East, WORLD HISTORY takes a fascinating look at the common challenges and experiences that unite the human past and inform the future. Authors William J. Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel's best-selling book uses colorful visuals, maps, and dramatic first-hand historical accounts to give readers a powerful perspective on the human experience over time.
The English language is spoken by more than a billion people throughout the world. But where did English come from? And how has it evolved into the language used today? In this Very Short Introduction Simon Horobin investigates how we have arrived at the English we know today, and celebrates the way new speakers and new uses mean that it continues to adapt. Engaging with contemporary concerns about correctness, Horobin considers whether such changes are improvements, or evidence of slipping standards. What is the future for the English language? Will Standard English continue to hold sway, or we are witnessing its replacement by newly emerging Englishes?