# Conditional and block entropy of sign sequences separate writing from non-linguistic systems, and place the…

> Disputed: Conditional and block entropy of sign sequences separate writing from non-linguistic systems, and place the Indus signs with writing.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/indus-script/answers/ANS0CWY3MNY6JC5/conditional-and-block-entropy-of-sign-sequences-separate  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Indus script](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/indus-script)[Can statistical measures tell whether an unknown symbol system is writing?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/indus-script/questions/QST0CWY3FA22GA4/can-statistical-measures-tell-whether-an-unknown-symbol)Answer

Answer · Indus script

# Conditional and block entropy of sign sequences separate writing from non-linguistic systems, and place the…

Conditional and block entropy of sign sequences separate writing from non-linguistic systems, and place the Indus signs with writing.

**Disputed** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Disputed** One piece of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Real non-linguistic systems, when properly sampled, fall outside the range occupied by writing.

## What would rule it out

- Real non-linguistic systems with comparable corpus sizes fall inside the range.

## Evidence 1 for · 1 against

[The Indus corpus's conditional entropy sits with linguistic systems and away from the artificial extremes.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/indus-script/evidence/EVD0CWY3MXR4DAF/the-indus-corpuss-conditional-entropy-sits-with-linguistic)

Suggestive

FOR

[The artificial extremes were invented controls, and real non-linguistic systems can show similar values.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/indus-script/evidence/EVD0CWY3N5J5J76/the-artificial-extremes-were-invented-controls-and-real-non)

Supported

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[Can statistical measures tell whether an unknown symbol system is writing?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/indus-script/questions/QST0CWY3FA22GA4/can-statistical-measures-tell-whether-an-unknown-symbol)

Part of [Are the Indus signs a writing system for a spoken language?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/indus-script/questions/QST0CWY3ETE3XCV/are-the-indus-signs-a-writing-system-for-a-spoken-language)

Most likelySuch measures do not discriminate reliably, so the Indus question cannot be settled from the corpus…

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Conditional and block entropy of sign sequences separate writing from non-linguistic systems, and place the… [Answer ANS0CWY3MNY6JC5]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0CWY3MNY6JC5
```

Key

**ANS** 0CWY3MNY6JC5

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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