# Complexity measurement of natural and artificial languages

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1311.5427 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1311.5427/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 20 Nov 2013.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Emergence in artificial life](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.03216/) (2021)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We compared entropy for texts written in natural languages (English, Spanish) and artificial languages (computer software) based on a simple expression for the entropy as a function of message length and specific word diversity. Code text written in artificial languages showed higher entropy than text of similar length expressed in natural languages. Spanish texts exhibit more symbolic diversity than English ones. Results showed that algorithms based on complexity measures differentiate artificial from natural languages, and that text analysis based on complexity measures allows the unveiling of important aspects of their nature. We propose specific expressions to examine entropy related aspects of tests and estimate the values of entropy, emergence, self-organization and complexity based on specific diversity and message length.