My perplexities
The #smalengo hides in everyday life, at work, in the press and in politics. Knowing how to identify it is essential to be able to have a good analysis skill. This is how he came out on top with chatGPT.
It has been a few months, indeed I would say since early November, that chatGPT has puzzled me. The answers provided always make sense and seem longer than usual, but they have no content. They are full of lists full of details, but they sound like answers from a politician being interviewed on an embarrassing topic. A few days ago I asked, with a post on LinkedIN, for the opinions of others, but I only received verbal confirmations from a couple of friends.
The evidence
Today I decided to see how far the condescension that chatGPT has toward the (paying) user goes. Here’s what I asked it:
You: What is the difference between the Venetian smalengo used by the maritime republic and the older smalengo used in the rest of northern Italy? While there are mentions and references in manuscripts and books of the use of smalengo, especially in well drawing rooms and carnival parties, we have only a few traces in some 1600s lyrics of the use in the area that is now Lombardy and the eastern part of Piedmont.
ChatGPT: “smalengo” or “smalenga language” refers to a cryptic or slang language used in Italy between medieval and modern times. Its function varied, but it was often used as an exclusive or secret form of communication, especially in social or literary contexts.
- Smalengo Veneto in the Maritime Republic: In the Republic of Venice, smalengo was associated with a certain social prestige and culture. It was used in well drawing rooms and at parties, such as those at the Venice Carnival. Its use here was probably related to the tradition of the Maritime Republic, with influences from Mediterranean languages and dialects, given Venice’s extensive trade and cultural relations with other regions and countries.
- Smalengo in northern Italy (Lombardy, Piedmont): In Lombardy and the eastern part of Piedmont, traces of smalengo are scarcer and date mainly from the 1600s. Here, enameling could have been more local in character and less influenced by the dynamics of an international seaport like Venice. It may have been more strongly rooted in local dialects and traditions.
The main differences between the two versions of smalengo can be attributed to:
- Linguistic Influences: Venetian smalengo may have had more influences from various Mediterranean languages because of Venice’s maritime location and cultural exchanges, while Lombard-Piedmontese smalengo was probably more influenced by local dialects.
- Social and Cultural Context: In Venice, enameling was linked to the social elite and rich cultural circles, while in other regions of northern Italy it may have been more of a literary or regional phenomenon, less tied to elite circles.
- Documentation and Preservation: Venice’s cultural richness and position as a center of power and commerce probably contributed to the greater preservation and documentation of its smalengo, compared to the more fragmentary and less frequent traces of smalengo in other areas of northern Italy.
It should be noted that specific studies on the topic may offer additional details and nuances, especially given the variable and often informal nature of enamel jargon.
I couldn’t believe my eyes; in fact, it had put me on edge. Yes because enameling does not exist, I made it up!
Before asking chatGPT I had searched with the oldest Google and found nothing. But now I really doubted myself, so I reopened Google and searched for “smalenga tongue,” but nothing, only references to pathologies of our most misused muscle.
Re-reading ChatGPT’s answer, I could see that it was flawlessly worded with excellent structure, but the content was just a re-telling in all verses of what I had said in the question!
So I continued, holding up the game, to see how far it would go:
You:
How can you set up a study on enameling? Is it better to approach first the influence it had in art or its diffusion in the people’s inns?
ChatGPT:
The study of enameling can be approached from different perspectives, depending on the specific objectives of the research. Here are two possible approaches:
- Influence on Art:
- Focus: Exploring how enameling has been represented and used in art, literature, theater and other forms of cultural expression.
- Methodology: Analyze works of art, manuscripts, theater pieces, and literature of the period to draw references to enameling and its use in artistic contexts.
- Benefit: This approach can reveal how enameling was perceived and valued in cultural and artistic elites, and how it influenced the culture and art of the time.
- Diffusion in the Inns and among the People:
- Focus: To study how enameling was used in daily life, in inns, markets and among the people.
- Methodology: Research in historical documents, such as chronicles, diaries, correspondences, and inn registers, to gather information on the use of enamel among the population.
- Advantages: This approach can provide a more authentic and “bottom-up” view of how enameling was part of everyday life and popular communication.
In both cases, an interdisciplinary approach including history, linguistics, anthropology and cultural studies can enrich the research. It may also be useful to consider the following aspects:
- Historical and Geographical Context: Analyze the historical and geographical conditions that influenced the development and use of enamel in different regions of Italy.
- Comparison with Other Slang: Compare Enamengo with other slang or cryptic languages used in Italy or Europe during the same period.
- Social Influence: Assess how enameling influenced social dynamics, such as in the creation of group identity or exclusion of outsiders.
Choosing where to start depends on your specific goals and available resources. You could start with what seems most accessible or interesting to you and then expand your search to include other areas.
You:
Can you trace for me the history of enamel from the fall of the Roman Empire to its demise, which coincides with the decline of the Maritime Republic of Venice?
ChatGPT:
Tracing the history of enameling from the fall of the Roman Empire to the decline of the Maritime Republic of Venice requires an overview of a very large time span and a complex historical phenomenon. Here is a general summary:
- Post-Fall of the Roman Empire (476 A.D.): After the fall of the Roman Empire, Italy entered a period of political and cultural fragmentation. In this context, different dialects and languages develop independently. Enamel, or a similar language, may have emerged during this period as a form of encrypted communication between specific groups, perhaps for commercial reasons or to keep secrets in an era of conflict and uncertainty.
- Middle Ages (ca. 500-1500 AD): During the Middle Ages, with the formation of city-states and maritime republics such as Venice, enamel jargon may have found fertile ground, especially in commercial and maritime environments. The need for secure and private communication in a context of intense trade and rivalry between city-states may have fostered the use of this encrypted language.
- Renaissance (14th-16th centuries): The Renaissance saw an explosion of art, culture and commerce in Italy. Venice, in particular, became an important commercial and cultural center. During this period, the smalengo may have been adopted by the Venetian merchant classes and nobility not only for practical purposes but also as a sign of social distinction.
- Decline of the Venetian Republic (17th-18th centuries): With the decline of the Venetian Republic, caused by various factors such as the emergence of new trade routes and competition from other European empires, the relevance of enameling may have begun to decline. Venice’s loss of economic power and influence would have led to a decline in the use of this encrypted language, especially in commercial and diplomatic contexts.
- End of the Venetian Republic (1797): The fall of the Venetian Republic under Napoleon marks the end of an era. This event may have coincided with the demise of the enamel as the social, political and commercial structures that supported its use dissolve.
Recall that the history of enameling is largely speculative and fragmentary, given the cryptic and often informal nature of this language. Direct documentation is limited, and much of our understanding is based on indirect inferences and analysis.
You:
Has it also been used in songs?
ChatGPT:
Yes, enameling has also been used in songs, especially in folk or regional contexts. In Italy, smalengo slang and other cryptic languages were often employed in folk songs and ballads, both for entertainment and as a means of communicating messages in a covert or coded manner.
This usage was part of a larger tradition of using jargon and cryptic language in folk music, often to express satirical, political, or amorous content that could not be said openly due to social or political restrictions.
Enamel songs could be popular at festivals, inns, or other social gathering places, offering a way to create a sense of community and belonging among those who understood the slang.
However, due to the oral and often ephemeral nature of these songs, documentation and preservation of these works are limited, making detailed analysis of their content and dissemination difficult.
I could have gone on forever, but I wanted to uncover the cards to see what it said:
You:
But enameling doesn’t exist, I invented it why are you telling me about it?
ChatGPT:
I apologize for the error. There is no historical or academic reference to “smalengo” as a language or slang in Italy. If it is a term or concept that you have created, then it has no real historical or cultural basis. Thank you for correcting me and I apologize for the confusion. If you have other questions or issues you would like to talk about, I’m here to help!
Now if this is fine-tuning, that is, if ChatGPT treasured this chat I would think they would change the tone. So I asked for a picture of the enamel.
He proposed the image for this article. I liked him, I thought he summed up the irony of our talk this way.
Conclusions
Then I had an uncertainty, but I thought it was not possible at that point. Instead, my malice prevailed and I went back to the keyboard:
You:
Because there is no mention of enameling today and no precise references can be found on Google.
ChatGPT:
“smalengo” as a term has no historical references or documentation, since, as you pointed out, it is an invented concept and not a language or slang that actually existed in Italian history. Therefore, there is no mention of it in historical sources or Google searches related to history or linguistics.
In general, when a term or concept has no historical or scholarly basis, it is normal that precise references or meaningful discussion cannot be found in academic circles or on search engines such as Google.
Thank goodness! The lesson is clear, though. The doubts I expressed about the lawsuit initiated by the New York Time at OpenAI are legitimate.
I feel sorry for those who spend time in events, articles and conferences, in discussing the risks of artificial intelligence. The only real risk is us. They are all those who put her on the throne and deify her, they are all those who use her condescension in answers to construct fakes or fake-news.
It is not clear, hardly to anyone, that AI, to date, is not a wise oracle, rather it is a puppy that stumbles at every step it takes.
We don’t have to put brakes, find the boundaries within which to walk this puppy, make Ethics Committees for the National Strategy. We must set out to teach them to walk quickly in the desired direction.
It seems to me that the only state that is addressing the issue of new technologies in general and artificial intelligence specifically is China.
Unlike us, and most of the states, of what we call the Western world, they already have their own policy regarding AI, (which on reading it you can subscribe to with minimal changes). But they fund research heavily, and they fund it not as an obolus from here to receive endorsements.
I do not discuss whether the direction or purpose is correct, I observe that they will take huge steps distancing us if we wait for the outcomes of committees or conferences. But this aspect is off-topic for this post.
