How Language Design Affects Human's Mind -Ruby vs. Virtual Language in Nineteen Eighty-Four-

Language design has a huge influence on human's mind because it is the very interfece open to the outside world.
Let's discuss the effect by comparative linguistics.
This slide features Xxxspeak in Nineteen Eighty-Four and Ruby / Python as samples.

1. Oldspeak(Present-Day English) vs. Newspeak
2. Ruby vs. Python
3. Ruby vs. Newspeak
4. Ruby vs. Oldspeak(Present-Day English)

Transcript

1. How Language Design Affects Human's Mind 1 -Ruby vs. Virtual Language in Nineteen Eighty-Four- Composed By: Hayato Ishida Updated On: 01 September 2025 For Japanese version, click here
2. About Me • Accounts • GitHub: @hayat01sh1da • X: @hayat01sh1da • LinkedIn: @hayat01sh1da • Speaker Deck: @hayat01sh1da • Docswell: @hayat01sh1da • Occupation: Software Engineer • Things I Am Into • Linguistics • Singing at Karaoke • Listening to Music • Watching Movies • Cat Feeding 2
3. Licences / Certifications • English • TOEIC® Listening & Reading 915: Certified on December 2019 • Engineering • Information Security Management: Certified on November 2017 • Applied Information Technology Engineer: Certified on June 2017 • Fundamental Information Technology Engineer: Certified on November 2016 • IT Passport: Certified on April 2016 • Others • Abacus 2nd Class: Certified on June 2002 • Mental Arithmetic 3rd Class: Certified on February 2001 3
4. Skill Stack • Languages • Japanese: Native Proficiency • English: Full professional Proficiency • Development • Backend: Ruby(Ruby on Rails), Python • Frontend: TypeScript + React.js, TypeScript +Vue.js • Database: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB • Architecture: Monolith, Modular Monolith • Hosting: AWS ESK • Versioning: Git, GitHub • CI/CD: GitHub Actions, ArgoCD • Monitoring: Datadog, Sentry 4
5. Work Histories 5 Period Genre Position Jobs Aug 2021 - Present Saas(Educational Service) Software Engineer • Backend Development • Frontend Development • CI/CD Maintenance • Weekly Release Manager • Troubleshooting • Documentation • Technical Debt Resolution • Tech Blog Entries • LT Speaker Feb 2020 - Dec 2020 SaaS(Chatbot Platform) Backend Engineer • Backend Development • Documentation • Technical Debt Resolution • Inspection of Alternative API
6. Work Histories 6 Period Genre Position Jobs Jun 2018 - Jan 2020 Contract-basis Developer Software Engineer • Backend Development • Frontend Development • Troubleshooting • Quality Assurance • Tech Blog Entries Apr 2016 - Jan 2018 System Engineering Service System Engineer • Corporate Account Admin • Windows Server Maintenance • Security Admin Assistant • Internationalisation / Localisation
7. International-Exchange Activities 7 • Activities in University • English Linguistics Seminar(Focusing on Mass Media English) • International-Exchange Clubs(The 2nd Year) • International-Exchange Programmes conducted by Japan Cabinet Office(2013 - 2016) • Japanese Linguistics Course(The Final Year) • Overseas Life Experience • Working Holiday in Australia(April 2014 - March 2015) • Language School for 1 month in Sydney • Work for 6 Months in Hamilton Island Resort • Volunteering for 1 Month as Assistant Teacher of Japanese Language at St Ives High School in NSW • Other Activities • Keep Everyday Journal in English (April 2014 - Present) • Sunrise Toastmasters Club(February 2017 - March 2018) • Vital Japan(January 2018 - July 2019, October 2022 - February 2023) • Self Learning and Training of English Language • Participation Ruby-Related Tech Conferences
8. Agenda 1. My Themes Today 2. Natural Languages and Human's Mind 3. Programming Languages and Human's Mind 4. Ruby vs. Xxxspeak 5. Conclusion 6. References 8
9. 1. My Themes Today 9
10. 1. My Themes Today 10 1. To NOT delicate myself to prosperity of Ruby at all. 2. To earnestly discuss something NEITHER practical NOR technical. 3. To take audience to a short journey of a linguistic thought experiment.
11. 2. Natural Languages and Human's Mind 11
12. 12 Natural Language and Communication We are involved in these activities via natural language as the interface. 2. Natural Languages and Human's Mind Category of Communication Activity Act / Factor External Communication = Social Activity Exchange Information with People • Asking Questions • Making Assertions Regulate and Coordinate Behaviours of People • Making Requests • Giving Orders • Making Offers • Making Promises Internal Communication = Mental Activity Organise Knowledge in Oneself = Classification of the Objects of the World • Living vs. Non-Living • Plants vs. Animals • Humans vs. Other Animals Reason and Draw an Inference in Oneself = Read between the Lines • What it means • What it implies
13. 13 Newspeak in Nineteen Eighty-Four written by George Orwell The language was designed and partly enforced in Oceanic society in the novel. The main purpose was to regulate exterminate anti-social political thoughts by eliminating words related to them along with the concepts. That is to say, we also would lose the corresponding concept if we lost a word. Let's discuss differences between Oldspeak(Present-Day English) and Newspeak. 2. Natural Languages and Human's Mind Attribute Oldspeak(Present-Day English) Newspeak Vocabulary and Expressions Richer every second Poorer every year Regulation of Human's Mind Looser Stricter Flexibility of Expressions Extraordinarily High Not Flexible at all Ambiguity Less More Cognitive Load Lower(Low Context) Higher(High Context) Unanimity of Expressions Hard Easy
14. 3. Programming Languages and Human's Mind 14
15. 3. Programming Languages and Human's Mind 15 Programming Language and Communication We are involved in these activities via programming language as the interface. Category of Communication Activity Act / Factor External Communication = Social Activity Exchange Information with People • Asking Questions • Making Assertions Regulate and Coordinate Behaviours of not just Computers but People • Making Requests • Giving Orders • Making Offers • Making Promises Internal Communication = Mental Activity Organise and Apply Knowledge in Oneself = Design and Implementation • Controller vs. Model • ActiveRecord vs. CQRS • Monolith vs. Microservice Reason and Draw an Inference in Oneself = Read between the Codes • What it implements • What requirements it implies
16. 16 Ruby created by Mr. Yukihiro Matsumoto(generally called Matz) Ruby is outstanding in its Linguistic Cognitive Consideration learned from Perl. The feature provides Rubyists with a wonderful coding experience. Let's discuss differences between Ruby and Python, another OOP. 3. Programming Languages and Human's Mind Attribute Ruby Python Vocabulary and Expressions Rich Limited Regulation of Human's Mind Looser Stricter Flexibility of Expressions Higher Lower Ambiguity Less(Naming convention) Less(Language design) Cognitive Load Hard to Evaluate(High and/or Low) Hard to Evaluate(High and/or Low) Unanimity of Expressions Hard(Easier with tool introduction) Easy
17. 4. Ruby vs. Xxxspeak 17
18. 4. Ruby vs. Xxxspeak 18 Ruby vs. Newspeak The comparison below shows the less mutual features. Attribute Ruby Newspeak Vocabulary and Expressions Rich Poorer every year Regulation of Human's Mind Looser Stricter Flexibility of Expressions Higher Not Flexible at all Ambiguity Less(Naming convention) More Cognitive Load Hard to Evaluate(High and/or Low) Higher(High Context) Unanimity of Expressions Hard(Easier with tool introduction) Easy
19. 4. Ruby vs. Xxxspeak 19 Ruby vs. Oldspeak The comparison below shows the more mutual features because both of them think highly of Convention over Configuration. Attribute Ruby Oldspeak(Present-Day English) Vocabulary and Expressions Rich Richer every second Regulation of Human's Mind Looser Looser Flexibility of Expressions Higher Extraordinarily High Ambiguity Less(Naming convention) Less Cognitive Load Hard to Evaluate(High and/or Low) Lower(Low Context) Unanimity of Expressions Hard(Easier with tool introduction) Hard
20. 4. Ruby vs. Xxxspeak 20 [Appendix] Python vs. Newspeak The comparison below shows the more mutual features because both of them are think highly of Configuration over Convention. Attribute Python Newspeak Vocabulary and Expressions Limited Poorer every year Regulation of Human's Mind Stricter Stricter Flexibility of Expressions Lower Not Flexible at all Ambiguity Less(Language design) More Cognitive Load Hard to Evaluate(High and/or Low) Higher(High Context) Unanimity of Expressions Easy Easy
21. 5. Conclusion 21
22. 5. Conclusion 22 The following principles apply to both of natural and programming languages. 1. Rich vocabulary in terms of communication interface provides • higher flexibility of expressions thanks to looser regulation of human's mind • higher cognitive load due to too rich idioms to properly handle • more costs for arrival at the agreement to define ubiquitous expressions within the same community 2. Poor vocabulary in terms of communication interface provides • lower flexibility of expressions owing to stricter regulation of human's mind • lower cognitive load thanks to so poor idioms as to easily handle • less costs for arrival at the agreement to define ubiquitous expressions within the same community
23. 6. References 23
24. 6. References 24 • Michael L. Geis, Language and Communication, Oxford, OUP, 2001 • George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, the United Kingdom, Harvill Secker, 1949 • Xiaohui Zou, The Cognitive Features of Programming Language and Natural Language, Switzerland, Springer, Cham, 2018 • Evelina Fedorenko, Anna Ivanova, Riva Dhamal, Marina Umaschi Bers, The Language of Programming: A Cognitive Perspective, Amsterdam, 2019 • Colin S. Gordon, The Linguistics of Programming, Philadelphia, Drexel University, 2024
25. 6. References 25 • Hayato Ishida, Dive Deeper into Present-Day English Vol.1 -What English Is-, Tokyo, 2024 • Hayato Ishida, Economy of Efforts, Tokyo, 2025 • Hayato Ishida, Recommendation of Comparative Linguistics -Learn Identity of Programming Language from Ruby vs. Python-, Tokyo, 2025 • Hayato Ishida, Road to Ruby for A Linguistics Nerd, Tokyo, 2025 • Hayato Ishida, High-Level Programming Languages in AI Era -Human Thought and Mind-, Tokyo, 2025
26. EOD 26