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JjNDSAY

BOO KS

Machine Translation— Fraud or . . . ? Computers and Common Sense. The Myth

of

MORTIMER

RARE EARTH

Machines. vii

4-

136

pages. Columbia University Press, New York 27, N.Y. 1961. $3.75. Reviewed by DeWitt O. Myatt.

&

Mr. Myatt is president of Science Com­ munication, Inc., Washington, D.C.,

YTTRIUM METALS

and formerly editor of INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY.

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68

Thinking TAUBE.

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Taube's book is certain to inspire shrieks of wicked glee from mathe­ matically inarticulate disciples of the linguistic arts—and bumbling roars of frustration from those who have dared to present analytic constructions in­ volving language translation by ma­ chines. It also deserves thoughtful evaluation as a prototype-illustration of a proposed new tool of science—the formal technical criticism of a scien­ tific field. Our author stands like Hector before the very gates of Troy, fired with the resolve to deny the validation of Sci­ ence to the main body of work existing on the mechanical translation of lan­ guage. And, to go strictly by the tell­ ing, few escape his sharp sword. With only an occasional supporting thrust (principally moral support) in the form of quotations from the Von Neu­ manns, Whiteheads, and other gods of semantics, science, and philosophy, he effortlessly snicks off all three pri­ mary presumptions of Warren Weaver's 1949 memorandum "Trans­ lation," which he says started the whole "scientific aberration/' BarHillel and Chomsky, two current lead­ ers in the field, apparently are irresisti­ ble targets from every new vantage point assumed in successive chapters of this short book. Except for the reader who is a specialist in machine translation, to name here all who are nicked, pruned, or purged contributes little. Taube contends that the mechanism of human communication through language is not subject to formalistic treatment. He challenges the logic of specialists who assign labels to seman­ tic terms and communication elements, and then proceed to manipulate them with the laws of mathematics and ab­

stract logic. In particular, he says the label definitions are fundamentally in­ adequate. And worst, he charges that many of the machine translation re­ searchers are near-illiterates in the fields of linguistics and philosophy. But is the volume a balanced au­ thoritative review, or a tract advanc­ ing one specific—and limited—point of view? Taube presents his case with impressive documentation, persuasive­ ness, and such literate fluency that the book is a joy to read. But its after­ effects left this reviewer with the urge to creep into the Greek camp and hear how the battle was being reported over there. Doubtless the opportunity will not be denied us. This reaction also suggests that, much as the world of science (es­ pecially for fields documented princi­ pally in government reports, as is the case for machine translations) needs more and better judge-evaluators, the formal critical review by a single au­ thor may not be an adequate instru­ ment. Particularly when the very un­ derpinnings of a considerable technical effort are questioned, the forum hall appears more suitable than the critic's chair. Maybe someone, perhaps the Ford Foundation, could be persuaded to give Caltech money for such a sym­ posium, which might conceivably be titled Is Machine Translation a Fraud? The book is highly recommended. For Trojan and Greek it is a call to arms. For armchair Olympian it is a most readable and instructive de­ scription of an important contempo­ rary technical endeavor.

NEW BOOKS American Adhesive Index. E. PATRICK MCGUIRE. 150 pages. Padric Publish­ ing Co., Box 1004, Mountainside, N.J. 1962. $6.75. Concerned primarily with the division and classification of American adhesives, examines the physical forms of adhesive materials, the methods by which they are applied, and bonding methods com­ monly employed. Animal Hormones: A Comparative Sur­ vey. Part I. Kinetic and Metabolic Hormones.

P. M. JENKIN.

xv + 310

pages. Pergamon Press, 122 East 55th St., New York 22, N.Y. 1962. $7.50. Introduction to sources and actions of vascular hormones in invertebrates, com­ pared with those in vertebrates.

Aspects of the Origin of Life. M. FLORKIN, editor, viii -f 199 pages. Pergamon Press, Inc., 122 East 55th St., New York 22, N.Y. 1960. $5.00. Articles selected from t h e symposium on the Origin of Life on the Earth held in Moscow and sponsored by U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. Atomic Spectra. H. G. KUHN. xvi -f 436 pages. Academic Press, Inc., I l l Fifth Ave., New York 3, N.Y. 1962. $13. Describes the main facts of atomic spectra from infrared to x-rays, and pro­ vides interpretation by means of BohrSommerfield's theory and quantum me­ chanics. The Chemistry and Technology of Leather. Vol. 3. Process Control of Leather Quality. ACS Monograph No. 134. F R E D O ' F L A H E R T Y , W I L L I A M T. RODDY, ROBERT M. LOLLAR, editors,

ix + 518 pages. Reinhold Publishing Corp., 430 Park Ave., New York 22, N.Y. 1962. $15. Covers the role of finishing operations in establishing the utility of leather and de­ scribes the finishing procedures for var­ ious types of leather. Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quan­ titative Biology. Vol. XXVI. Cellular Regulatory Mechanisms. LEONORA FRISCH, editor. χ ν -f 408 pages. Long Island Biological Association, Cold Spring Harbor, L.I., N.Y. 1961. Institutions and booksellers, $12; in­ dividuals, $8.00. Symposium held June 1961. Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry. Vol. 1C. Classical Analysis. CECIL L. W I L S O N , DAVID W. W I L S O N , editors,

xxx -f 728 pages. D . Van Nostrand Co., Inc., 120 Alexander St., Prince­ ton, N.J. 1962. $24. Concise German-English Chemical Dic­ tionary. RICHARD ERNST, INGEBORC ERNST VON MORGENSTERN, editors.

727 pages. Thomas Y. Crowell Co.. 432 Park Ave. South, New York 16, N.Y. 1962. $7.95. Includes chemical engineering and funda­ mentals of allied sciences; 45,000 defi­ nitions. Direct Analysis of Diffraction by Matter. R. H O S E M A N N , S. N. BAGCIII.

xxi

+

734 pages. Interscience Division, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Park Ave. South, New York 16. N.Y. 1962. $21.75. Describes analysis of diffraction of crystals, liquid, and amorphous sub­ stances (or gases) with the help of Fourier- and convolution-integrals but without taking recourse to methods of trial and error. Distillation. cedures.

Principles and Design Pro­ RORERT

J. . HENGSTEBECK.

xiv -+- 365 pages. Reinhold Publishing Corp., 430 Park Ave., New York 22, N.Y. 1961. $11.50. Written from the viewpoint of the prac­ ticing engineer. Dynamic

Work

C L E M E N T S ZINCK.

Simplification. xii -f

237

W. pages.

Reinhold Publishing Corp., 430 Park Ave., New York 22, N.Y. 1962. $7.95. Shows how foremen can learn to apply basic method improvement techniques, utilizing alert observation, research with written records, and purposeful thought.

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Cincinnati Division

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Continued on page 100 APRIL

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(Situations Wanted, Continued) CHEMICAL ENGINEER-FOOD TECHNOLogy : Ph.D. 42, industrial, teaching, administra­ tive, documentation experience, especially in food technology, perfect German, excellent French, reads Spanish. Desires association with univer­ sity, college, research or consulting organization. Box 322-J-4, C. & Ε. Ν., Easton, Pa. CHEMIST, ANALYTICAL: B.S., DIVERSIfied experience since 1950. Soaps, waxes, polishes, inks, paper, fibers, petroleum products, platings, metals, hydrides. Some instrumentation, super­ vision. Résumé, New York City-lower Westchester only. Box 312-J-3, C. & Ε. Ν., Easton, Pa. LIBRARIAN: RESPONSIBLE EXPERIence in industrial chemistry library; prior exper­ ience in chemical field. M.S. in library science from Columbia University; B.A. in biology and in chemistry. German and French. To organize and/or maintain science library in industry. New York metropolitan area. Box 305-H-4, C. & E. N„ Easton, Pa. POLYMER RESEARCH: Ph.D. CHEMIST. Ten years experience in research and development of vinyls, acrylics and condensation polymers (polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters). Synthe­ sis and evaluation of coatings, adhesives, foams, films, fibers. Supervisory experience, publica­ tions, patents. Box 311-H-4. C. & Ε. Ν., Easton, Pa. TECHNICAL D I R E C T O R : 41, M.A. CHEMEngr. Food-Flavor-Water-Nuclear. Process de­ velopment, plant design and operation. Project and personnel organization. U.S. earnings $15,000-120,000. Lived Latin America; knows Span­ ish, Portugese and Russian. Consulting U.S. and Europe; publications. Box 315-H-4, C. & Ε. Ν., Easton, Pa. ACADEMIC: Ph.D., POLYMER, RADIAtion and organic chemistry. Box 328-H-4, C. & E. N„ Easton, Pa. TECHNICAL MANAGER-MATERIAL S c i ­ ences. Age 40. Ph.D. physical chemistry. Pa­ pers and patents in super-refractories, high-tem­ perature chemistry and electrochemistry, metal­ lurgy and nuclear chemistry. Experience in the application of these disciplines to modern solidstate problems, in program and budget planning, cast analysis, and in pilot plant design and engi­ neering. Seeking relocation with stable and ag­ gressive organization in management of research or development activities. Box 329-H-4, C & Ε. Ν., Easton, Pa. R&D PROJECT LEADER/MANAGER: polyolefins expert; bench-scale, pilot plants, com­ mercialization; long range planning; joint ven­ tures. Publications. Box 304-J-4, C. & Ε. Ν., Easton, Pa. C H E M I S T : B.S. ELEVEN YEARS DIVERsified experience industrial and application engi­ neering. Self starter. Marketing minded. De­ sires responsible position in technical service, market development, application engineering. Age 39. Single. No geographical limitations. Box 305-J-4. C. & E. N., Easton, Pa. CHEMICAL E N G I N E E R : B.S.Ch.E. AGE 40. Married. 19 years diversified experience in chemical process design, economic studies, pilot plant development, numerous plant start-ups, and process improvement; production supervisor. Seeks responsible permanent position in Eastern, Middle Atlantic or mid-West U.S. Box 312-.T-4, C. & Ε. Ν., Easton, Pa.

. SITUATIONS WANTED (Student Affiliates) STUDENT CHEMISTRY MAJOR: WISHES summer job, preferably New York City area. Box 19, 4201 Henry Ave., Phila. Pa.

SITUATIONS WANTED (Nonmembers) CHEMICAL SALESMAN SELLING ORganic chemical products to wide range of con­ sumer product and industrial manufacturers. Ex­ cellent customer relationships. Good knowledge costs, marketing, promotion and formulation. Box 600-L-4, C. & E. N „ Easton, Pa.

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PUBLICATIONS — SALE, WANTED SPECIALISTS IN SETS, BACK FILES, chemical scientific, technical journals. Get our quotations before you buy or sell. Canner's Inc., Boston 20, Massachusetts 100

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12V2% DISCOUNT ON TECHNICAL BOOKS. Pic-a-Book, Box 4561, Washington 17, P . C . CHEM. ABST. 1945-1960, UNB. AT $575. Analytical Chem. v. 1-31, unb. at $130. Amer. Chem. Soc. Jl. 1920-1960, unb. at $225. Chem. Soc. of London. Jl. 1901-1960. Mostly bound. Price upon request. G. H. Arrow Co., 4th & Brown Sts., Phila. 23, Pa. WANTED TO PURCHASE: COMPLETE sets, short runs and single volumes of scientific periodicals—in all languages. Walter J. Johnson, Inc., I l l Fifth Avenue, New York 3, New York. BACK ISSUES OF NEARLY ALL VOLunies of ACS journals are available promptly from the American Chemical Society. Write for quotations on volumes and sets. Special Issues Sales Department, ACS, 1155-16th St., N.W., Washington 6, P . C . TRANSLATIONS TRANSLATIONS: FROM GERMAN AND Italian. Technical and scientific. Expert. Box 901-L-4, C. & E. N „ Easton, Pa.

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NEW BOOKS Continued from page 69 Electrical Breakdown of Insulating Liquids. J. Α. Κοκ. xii -f- 132 pages. Interscience Division, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Park Ave. South, NewYork 16, N.Y. 1962. $6.00. Said to b e of equal interest to electrical engineers, physicists, and colloid chem­ ists. Energy and Hydrocarbons in 1960. Sur­ vey accompanying Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi's Annual Report and State­ ment of Accounts at 30th April 1961. 221 pages. Societa Grafica Romana, Via Ignazio Pettinengo, 39, Rome, Italy, 1961. Free.

Food Plant Sanitation. MILTON E. PARKER, J O H N H. LITCHFIELD, ν -{401 pages. Reinhold Publishing Corp., 430 Park Ave., N e w York 22, N.Y. 1962. $12. Covers newest technical advances in food plant sanitation a n d latest sanita­ tion requirements arising from recent amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Class Reinforced Plastics. 3rd. ed. P H I L L I P MORGAN, editor, xvi + 340 pages. Interscience Division, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Park Ave. South, New York 16, N.Y. 1962. $9.50. Much enlarged and thoroughly revised, with chapters added on dough molding compounds, glass reinforced sheeting, and pressure vessels and filament wind­ ing. Gmelins Handbuch der Anorganischen Chemie. 8 Auflage. Calcium. Part B, Section 3. System No. 28. lxii + 912 pages. Verlag Chemie, G.m.b.H., Weinheim/Bergstrasse, Germany. 1961. $142. Gmelins Handbuch der Anorganischen Chemie. 8 Auflage. Cobalt. Sup­ plement volume. Part A. System No. 58. lxxii + 886 pages. Verlag Chemie G.m.b.H., Weinheim/Berg­ strasse, Germany. 1961. $1.39. Gmelins Handbuch der Anorganischen Chemie. 8 Auflage. Copper. Part B, Section 2. System No. 60. xli -f 352 pages. Verlag Chemie G.m.b.H., Weinh eim/Bergstrasse, Germany. 1961. $58. High-Temperature Plastics. WALTER BRENNER, DOREY L U M , M A L C O L M W . RILEY, ix -f 231 pages. Reinhold Publishing Corp., 430 Park Ave., New York 22, N.Y. 1962. $7.95. A Laboratory Manual of Analytical Meth­ ods of Protein Chemistry (Including Polypeptides). Vol. 1. The Separa­ tion and Isolation of Proteins. P. ALEXANDER, R. J. BLOCK, editors, viii + 254 pages. Pergamon Press, Inc., 122 East 55th St., N e w York 22, N.Y. 1960. $8.50. Provides instructions on how to carry out analyses of proteins, in great detail. Manual of Practical Micro and General Procedures in Clinical Chemistry. SAMUEL M E I T E S , W I L L A R D R. FAULK­ NER, xvi -f- 354 pages. Charles C Thomas, 301-327 East Lawrence Ave., Springfield, 111. 1962. $11.50. Describes about 90 quantitative and qualitative procedures.

Experimental Thermochemistry. Vol. 2. H. A. SKINNER, editor, xix -f 457 pages. Interscience Division, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Park Ave. South, N e w York 16, N.Y. 1962. $14.50. Prepared under I UP AC auspices by the Subcommission on Experimental Thermo­ chemistry.

Methods of Biochemical Analysis. Vol. 9. DAVID GLICK, editor, ix + 452 pages. Interscience Division, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 440 Park Ave. South, New York 16, N.Y. 1962. $14.50. Series forms a collection of authoritative methods, procedures, and techniques for determination and assaying of biologically important substances and systems.

Fluorescence Assay in Biology and Medi­ cine. SIDNEY UDENFRIEND. Χ - j - 505 pages. Academic Press, Inc., I l l Fifth Ave., N e w York 3, N.Y. 1962. $14. Said to b e practical guide for both novice and expert. Includes detailed presenta­ tions of procedures and presents wide range of potential applications of t h e method.

The Molecular Control of Cellular Ac­ tivity. JOHN M. A L L E N , editor, vii + 328 pages. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., 330 West 42nd St., New York 36, N.Y. 1962. $10.50. Based on series of lectures held in Ann Arbor in spring of 1960 u n d e r auspices of University of Michigan's Institute of Science and Technology.