Limitation to creation

[WormWithGlasses]

Is there such a thing as, a limit to a book producible by man?

There are 26 letters in the English-alphabet, because the alphabet is countable, wouldn't it mean that there will be a limit to how many letter arrangements can be produced for a given letter count? if that is true then wouldn't it be the same for sentences with a given word count?

Also, if you where to compose using a piano that has x keys and then giving restrictions to time, the amount of keys that can be played simultaneously and the pacing then wouldn't it also mean that there would be a limit to how many musical pieces that can be created due to its finite constrictions?

If the above are true then wouldn't it also be the same for books? Suppose, you where to give a task to a computer to create a book. The conditions are given such that the length will be restricted to 50,000 words. Then you apply numerous filters, and algorithms to exclude any and all unintelligible and incomprehensible outcomes. Now, because of the limitation of the word count and the only words that can be used are also limited to the words in a dictionary, in addition to the numerous filters applied so as to make equivalent products, wouldn't it be safe to assume that if so ever the computer where to manage the enormous load, that there will be a limit to how many works can be created within the given parameters?

EDIT:

Also, I'm not so sure what category this topic falls under to

"many words can be..." changed to " many letter arrangements can be..."

Edited January 28, 2015 by WormWithGlasses

[Strange]

There are 26 letters in the English-alphabet, because the alphabet is countable, wouldn't it mean that there will be a limit to how many letter arrangements can be produced for a given letter count? if that is true then wouldn't it be the same for sentences with a given word count?

 

This is true. So one could, for example, write a computer program to generate all sentences within a given word limit. For two word sentences in English, this would amout to about 52 trillion billion sentences (*). Obviously the number would be decreased if you only allowed grammatically and semantically meaningful sentences. (But on the other hand, what creative writer would constrain themselves in that way!) And it would be increased enormously if you allowed neologisms: 1 new word would allow half a million more possible sentences.

 

See also: monkeys and typewriters.

 

(*) Source for number of words: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/how-many-words-are-there-in-the-english-language

Edited January 28, 2015 by Strange

[Sensei]

In my language there is 2.78 million words and variations. The longest words have at least 15 characters.

 

Many years ago I wrote C/C++ (and later .NET Framework C++) application which was using binary search algorithm on database (text file) for all these words and analyze them.

I still have database (gathered from on-line scrabble game engine).

 

For two word sentences in English, this would amout to about 52 trillion sentences (*).

 

You meant 52 billions rather (52,044,209,424)

[Strange]

In my language there is 2.78 million words and variations.

 

Do you mind if I ask which language? And what the source is for that estimate?

 

You meant 52 billions rather (52,044,209,424)

 

Doh. You are correct.

[Sensei]

It's not estimation.

I loaded database to text editor and pressed ctrl-end buttons, and read row number..

Exactly 2,777,114 words for date 2012 July 20. 3 years old pretty old db. I didn't update it loong time.

There is added couple hundred words per week or so. When people find words that are missing.

Typically variations of words that nobody thought about.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Sensei

[Strange]

It's not estimation.

I loaded database to text editor and pressed ctrl-end buttons, and read row number..

 

What database is this?

 

 

Typically variations of words that nobody thought about.

 

So does it include things like singular vs plural, different tenses and cases of verbs, etc. as separate entries? (Assuming your language has such things!)

There is, of course, the prblem of defining what a "word" is in any language (it is more difficult in some than others).

And if we allow proper names, then the number of words in the language increases enormously. For example I have a database of Japanese names with about 480,000 entries (including variant spellings of each name).

[WormWithGlasses]

I know it may be too late but, Thanks for the replies!