# Can corpus statistics tell whether a small symbol corpus like the Pictish one is language? · Pictish symbol stones > Four answers have been proposed. The published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist… leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAGA07V40/can-corpus-statistics-tell-whether-a-small-symbol-corpus Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:28+00:00 --- **0** # Can corpus statistics tell whether a small symbol corpus like the Pictish one is language? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [Are the Pictish symbols a writing system?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAG263DNY/are-the-pictish-symbols-a-writing-system)·4 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: the published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Four answers have been proposed. The published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist… leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible. ## Why it matters The Pictish corpus is under a thousand symbols in one- to three-symbol texts, which strains any statistical test⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQHA78Y1Y9C/pictish-symbols-revealed-as-a-written-language-through). The answer decides how much weight the 2010 and 2014 results can bear. ## Answers 4 [**The published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/answers/ANS0CQHAKZ6712B/the-published-measures-do-not-reliably-separate-writing-from) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**A calibrated entropy decision tree can classify small symbol corpora by type, and it shows the Pictish…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/answers/ANS0CQHAKFJ689W/a-calibrated-entropy-decision-tree-can-classify-small-symbol) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 1 for Disputed [**At this corpus size no statistic can decide the question; only external evidence can.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/answers/ANS0CQHAMPM6CKX/at-this-corpus-size-no-statistic-can-decide-the-question) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/answers/ANS0CQHAMYE0FWT/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2010[Lee et al. puts forward: a calibrated entropy decision tree can classify small symbol corpora by type, and it shows the Pictish…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQHA78Y1Y9C/pictish-symbols-revealed-as-a-written-language-through) 1. 2010[Lee et al.: the authors' decision tree separated their own calibration corpora of known writing and non-linguistic…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQHA78Y1Y9C/pictish-symbols-revealed-as-a-written-language-through)For: A calibrated entropy decision tree can classify small symbol corpora by type, and it shows the Pictish… 1. 2010[Fournet: linearising carvings into strings and archaic-script features may bias such tests.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQHA7RJ0WKY/a-linguists-comment-on-pictish-symbols-revealed-as-a-written)For: The published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist… 1. 2014[Sproat puts forward: the published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8MT1SM3EB0/a-statistical-comparison-of-written-language-and) 1. 2014[Sproat: none of the previously proposed methods were useful as published on the larger comparison set.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D8MT1SM3EB0/a-statistical-comparison-of-written-language-and)For: The published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAGA07V40/can-corpus-statistics-tell-whether-a-small-symbol-corpus%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAGA07V40/can-corpus-statistics-tell-whether-a-small-symbol-corpus%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAGA07V40/can-corpus-statistics-tell-whether-a-small-symbol-corpus%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAGA07V40/can-corpus-statistics-tell-whether-a-small-symbol-corpus%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAGA07V40/can-corpus-statistics-tell-whether-a-small-symbol-corpus%23add-source) Where it fits Pictish symbol stones [**Are the Pictish symbols a writing system?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAG263DNY/are-the-pictish-symbols-a-writing-system)Key question · most likely the symbols are emblems of rank, kin group, office or territory that do not encode words **Can corpus statistics tell whether a small symbol corpus like the Pictish one is language?** You're here · the published measures do not reliably separate writing from non-linguistic systems; better measures exist… [Do the stones that carry both symbols and ogham show what the symbols mean?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/pictish-symbols/questions/QST0CQHAGSM0ARD/do-the-stones-that-carry-both-symbols-and-ogham-show-what)No evidence yet · 3 answers, untested [ Ask a question under this one ]