Hearsay   Hearsay · 1985  
was a telecommunications event based upon the children's game whereby a secret message is whispered from person to person till it arrives back at its originator. In this case a message was sent around the world in 24 hours, roughly following the sun, via a global computer network (I. P. Sharp Associates). Each of the eight participating centres was charged with translating the message into a different language before sending it on. The whole process was monitored at Toronto's A-Space."
 
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A COMPILATION OF TEXT GENERATED BY THE
HH HH HHHHHHH HHH HHHHHHH HHHHHH HHH HH HH EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE EE AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA RRRRRRR RRRRR RR RR RRRRRRR RRRRRR RR RR RRRR SS SS SS SSSSSSSSS SS SS SS SSSSSSSSS SS AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA YY YY YYYYYYY YY YY YY YY YYYYYY YY YY YY
PROJECT
>> NOVEMBER 11-12, 1985 <<
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THE ORIGINAL TEXT:
THE MESSAGE (FOR MARSHALL MCLUHAN)
THE MESSENGER ARRIVED OUT OF BREATH. THE DANCERS STOPPED THEIR PIROUETTES, THE TORCHES LIGHTING UP THE PALACE WALLS FLICKERED FOR A MOMENT, THE HUBBUB AT THE BANQUET TABLE DIED DOWN, A ROASTED PIG'S NUCKLE FROZE IN MID-AIR IN A NOBLEMAN'S FINGERS, A GENERAL BE- HIND THE PILLAR STOPPED FINGERING THE BOSOM OF THE MAID OF HONOUR.
"WELL, WHAT IS IT, MAN?" ASKED THE KING, RISING REGALLY FROM HIS CHAIR. "WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? WHO SENT YOU? WHAT IS THE NEWS?" THEN AFTER A MOMENT, "ARE YOU WAITING FOR A REPLY? SPEAK UP MAN!" STILL SHORT OF BREATH, THE MESSENGER PULLED HIMSELF TOGETHER. HE LOOKED THE KING IN THE EYE AND GASPED: "YOUR MAJESTY, I AM NOT WAITING FOR A REPLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO MESSAGE BECAUSE NO ONE SENT ME. I JUST LIKE RUNNING."
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(C) COPYRIGHT BY ROBERT ZEND, 1973. FROM "FROM ZERO TO ONE", THE SONO NIS PRESS, VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 1973. REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION OF JANINE ZEND. **NOTE** ROBERT ZEND, A BRILLIANT HUNGARIAN-BORN POET, DIED THIS PAST SUMMER. THIS PROJECT IS A TRIBUTE TO HIS LIFE AND WORK. HIS WIDOW, JANINE, WAS ON HAND TO HIT THE "RETURN" KEY WHICH SENT THE MESSAGE ON ITS WAY AROUND THE WORLD. IN THE TRANSMITTED VERSION, NEITHER THE SUBTITLE NOR THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR WAS MENTIONED. THIS WAS DONE SO AS TO MINIMIZE CLUES AS TO THE CONTENT OF THE TEXT.
IN THE SEQUENCE OF TRANSLATIONS WHICH FOLLOW, AN ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO PRESERVE THE TEXT EXACTLY AS IT WAS REGISTERED BY THE I.P.SHARP COMPANY'S CENTRAL COMPUTER, INCLUDING TEXT DISTORTIONS GENERATED BY TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND BY TELEPHONE- LINE "NOISE". THE FOLLOWING "TIME-STAMP" RECORDS THE TIME AT WHICH THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE WAS SENT FROM TORONTO ('NTW') TO DES MOINES ('EBANK'). MOST OTHER TIME- STAMPS OCCUR IN THE HEADING PRECEDING EACH TRANSLATION. NO. 2575245 FILED 17.33.05 MON 11 NOV 1985
------------------------------------------------------------------- THE SPANISH VERSION SENT FROM DES MOINES, U.S.A. ('EBANK') TO SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA ('CAISY'): NO. 2575370 FILED 19.30.15 MON 11 NOV 1985
FROM EBANK TO CAISY CC NTW SUBJ MESSAGE
eL MENSAJERO ARRIVO SIN ALIENTO. lOS BAILA DORES, SE PARARON LAS PIRUETAS, POR UN MOMENTO, LOS FUEGOS DE LAS ANTORCHAS LAMA TREMULA, EN LAS PAREDES DEL PALACIO, EL "HUBUB" A LA MESA BANQUETE SE CALMARO, SE HELO EN AIRE EL NUDILLO DE PUERCO EN DEDOS DE HIDALGO, DETRAS DEL PILAR UN GENERAL SE QUITO LAS DEDOS DE LOS PECHOS DE LA PRIMERA MADRINA DA BODA.
"pUES, ?QUE ES, HOMBRE?" PREGUNTA EL REY, Y SE LEVANTO DEL TRONO.
"?dE DONDE VIENE? qUIEN SE MARDO? qUE NOTICIAS?" eNTONCES DESPUES, DE UN MOMENTO, EL REY DIGO "eSPERO REPUESTA? dIGAME!"
eL MENSAJERO, TODA VIA SIN ALIENTO, SE COMPONERE, Y MIRO EN TOS OJOS DEL REY. eL MENSAJERO DIJO CON VOZ ENTRECORTADA, "mAJESTAD, NO ESPERO REPUESTA PORQUE NO HAY MENSAJE PORQUE NADIE ME MANDO. sOLAMENTE ME ENCANTA CORRER."
------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ENGLISH VERSION SENT FROM SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA ('CAISY') TO TOKYO, JAPAN ('MASA'):
NO. 2575714 FILED 4.59.21 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM CAISY TO MASA CC NTW SUBJ MESSAGE
the messenger arrived breathless.
the dancers stopped dancing for a moment. the fire of the burning torches refected on the walls. the hubbub of the banquet table
subsideed. the pig's trotters froze in mid-air. a general dressed as a knight removed his hand from the breast of the wedding's first matron of honour.
the king, getting up from his throne asked,"hat's happening, my good man ? where have you come from ; who sent you ? i demand an answer !"
he messenger, still breathless, pulled himself together, and, looking into the kings eyes, said, in a stuttering voice, "oyour majexty, do noy expect an answer,because there is none. nobody sent me, i just like running."
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THE JAPANESE VERSION SENT FROM TOKYO, JAPAN ('MASA') TO VIENNA, AUSTRIA ('RAX'):
NO. 2575780 FILED 7.58.29 TUE 12 NOV 1985 FROM MASA TO RAX CC NTW SUBJ THE MESSAGE SONO MESSENGER WA IKI O KIRASHITE YATSUTEKITA. ODORIKO TACHI WA SHIBASHI ODORU NOO YAMETA. MOETEIRU TAIMATSU NO HI GA KABE NI UTSU TSU TE ITA. SONO ENKAI NO TABLE NO ZAWAMEKI WA SHIZUMATSUTA. SONO BUTA TACHI NO ASHI WA KUUCHUU DE KOOTSUTA. KISHI NO YOUNI KIKAZATSUTA HITORI NO SHOUGUN GA KETSUKON-SHIKI NO SHUSEKI NAKOUDO FUJIN NO MUNE KARA KARE NO TE O HAZUSHITA.
OUSAMA WA KARE NO SEKI KARA TACHIAGARI-NAGARA TAZUNETA, 'KIMI, NANIGA OKOTSUTANODA?, DOKOKARA KITANODA ; DAREGA KIMI O YOKOSHITANODA? HENTOU O YOUKYUU SURU!'
MADA IKI O KIRASHITE ITA SONO MESSENGER WA KI O SHIZUME, SOSHITE OUSAMA NO ME O NOZOKI KOMI, DOMORI NAGARA ITSUTA, 'HEIKA, KOTAE O NOZOMANAIDE KUDASAI, NANIMO NAI NODESU, DAREMO WATASHI O YOKOSHITEMASEN, WATASHI WA TADA HASHIRU KOTO GA SUKINA DAKE NANODESUKARA.'
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THE GERMAN VERSION SENT FROM VIENNA, AUSTRIA ('RAX') TO GWENT, WALES ('ASCOT'):
NO. 2575890 FILED 10.38.55 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM RAX TO ASCOT CC NTW RAX
DIESER BOTE IS ATEMLOS HERGERANNT. DIE TAENZER HABEN EINEN MOMENT AUFGEHOERT ZU TANZEN. DIE FLAMME DER FACKEL REFLECTIERTE AN DER WAND. DAS RAUSCHEN DER BANKETTS IS STILL GEWORDEN. DIE SCHWEINSKEULEN SIND IN DER LUFT GEFROREN. EIN PRUNKVOLL GEKLEIDETER "SHOGUN" HAT SEINE HAND VON DER BRUST DER DAME, DER HOECHSTEN BEGLEITPERSON DER HOCHZEITSZEREMONIE,
WEGGENOMMEN.
DER KOENIG IST VON SEINEM PLATZ AUFGESTANDEN AND HAT GEFRAGT: "DU, WAS IST GESCHEHEN? WOHER BIST DU GEKOMMEN? ICH BEFEHLE DIR ZU ANTWORTEN!"
DER IMMER ATEMLOSE BOTE HAT SICH ETWAS BERUHIGT UND IN DIE AUGEN DES KOENIGS BLICKEND GEANTWORTED: " MAJESTAET, BITTE VERLANGEN SIE NICHT MEINE ANTWORT. ES IS UEBERHAUPT NICHTS GESCHEHEN. NIEMAND HAT MICH HIERHERGESANDT, ICH LAUFE NUR GERNE.
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THE WELSH VERSION SENT FROM GWENT, WALES ('ASCOT') TO PITTSBURG, U.S.A. ('DAX'): NO. 2575987 FILED 13.32.42 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM ASCOT TO DAX CC NTW SUBJ HEARSAY mae'r negesydd hwn yn colli ei anadl. gorchmynwyd y dawnswyr i ddawnsio. adlewyrcha oleuni fflam ar y wal. mae rhuo'r wleddm yn tawelu. mae'r golwythion cig moch yn oeri yn yr agored. gorffwysa "shogun",bendigedig ei wisg,ei law ar fynwes boneddiges,m a ymddengys yn oruwch i hebrwng yn y seremoni briodas. mae'r brenin wedi codi o'i sedd a gofyn "ti, beth sy wedi digwydd ?M pam ddaethost yma? mynnaf ateb!" er ei fod yn dal heb anadl, mae'r negesydd wedi tawelu rhywfaint ac wrth lygadrythu ar y brenin, atebai "eich mawrhydi, na fynnwch ateb ohonnof i. wedi'r cwbl, 'does dim wedi digwydd. 'does neb wedi !ngyrru yma. 'rwyf ond yn rhedeg am sbri".
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THE ENGLISH VERSION SENT FROM PITTSBURG, U.S.A. ('DAX') TO CHICAGO, U.S.A. ('SAIC'):
NO. 2576354 FILED 19.03.42 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM DAX TO SAIC CC NTW
THIS MESSENGER IS LOSING HIS BREATHE. THE DANCERS WERE COM- MANDED TO DANCE, AND THE FLAMBEAUX WREER GLEAMING ON THE WALL THE ROARING FEAST CEASED. THE SIZZLING PIG COOLED IN THE OPEN HE RESTED IN HIS HOLY COSTUME HIS HAND ON A WOMAN'S BREAST AND APPEARED ABOVE TO CONDUCT THE WEDDING CEREMONY. THE KING AROSE FROM HIS SEAT AND ASKED HIM WHAT HAS HAPPENED, AND WHAT ART THOU DOING HERE?I WANT AN ANSWERE! THOUGH HE WAS STILL WITHOUT BREATHE THE MESSENGER QUIETED SOMEWHAT AND STARING AT THE KING HE ANSWERED, YOUR MAJESTY YOU DO NOT WANT AN ANSWER FROM ME, AFTER ALL,NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. NOONE DROVE ME HERE, I AM RUNNING FOR FUN.
------------------------------------------------------------------- THE HUNGARIAN VERSION SENT FROM CHICAGO, U.S.A. ('SAIC') TO TORONTO, CANADA ('NTW'): NO. 2576467 FILED 21.06.41 TUE 12 NOV 1985
FROM SAIC TO NTW CC SAIC SUBJ MESSAGE...MAGYAR
[] []UTAER LEELEKZETEET VESZITI. [] TAENCOSOKNAK MEGPARANCSOLTAEK HOGY TAENCOLJANAK EES EEGOE FAEKJAEK MEREDTEK A FALAKRA A ZAJOS MULATSAEG ELHALLGATOTT. [] MALAC PERCEGVE SUELT A NYILT LANGON A KIRELY NYUGODTAN UELT UNNEPI PALASTON KEZE EGY NOE MELLEEN + UGY TUENT + UEL LAKODALOM UNNEPEEN. [] KIRAELY FELAELLT HELYEEROEL EES A FUTAER KEERDEZTE A TOERTEENTEKROEL EES MIEERT VAN ITT EES VAELASZT AKAR+E\ [] FUTAER + MEEG MINDIG LEELEGZETBOEL KIFOGYVA + KIRAELYRA NEEZ VAELASZOLVA(
[]ELSEEG[] VAELASZRA NINCS SZUEKSEEG VEEGEREDMEENYBEN TOERTEENT SEMMISEEG. []ENKI NEM KUELDOETT []UTOK CSAK MINDENEK FOELOETT.
------------------------------------------------------------------- THE FINAL VERSION TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AT TORONTO, CANADA: TO HEAR
MESSENGER: PANTING. THE DANCERS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO DANCE, AND BURNING TORCHES WERE PLACED ON THE WALLS. THE NOISY PARTY BECAME QUIET. A ROASTING PIG TURNED OVER ON AN OPEN FLAME. THE KING SAT CALMLY ON HIS FESTIVE CHAIR, HIS HAND ON A WOMAN'S BREAST. IT APPEARED THAT HE WAS SITTING THROUGH A MARRIAGE CEREMONY. THE KING ROSE FROM HIS SEAT AND ASKED THE MESSENGER WHAT IS TAKING PLACE AND WHY IS HE THERE? AND HE WANTED AN ANSWER. THE MESSENGER, STILL PANTING, LOOKED AT THE KING AND REPLIED: YOUR MAJESTY, THERE IS NO NEED FOR AN ANSWER. AFTER ALL, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. NO ONE SENT ME. I RISE ABOVE EVERYTHING.
ACTION: SEND
NO. 2576692 FILED 1.15.29 WED 13 NOV 1985
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**NOTE** THE TIME-STAMP ABOVE INDICATES THAT THE TORONTO TRANSLATOR ADHERED TO THE SAME FOUR-HOUR TIME CONSTRAINT IMPOSED ON THE OTHER TRANSLATORS.
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**NOTE** THE FOLLOWING SUMMARIZES THE SUPPORT DOCUMENTA TION PROVIDED BY PARTICIPATING CENTRES. AN UNEDITED VERSION OF THIS MATERIAL WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AS AN APPENDIX. [NTW] -------------------- 'EBANK' -------------------- TRANSLATOR: CINDY HILDEN PROJECT COORDINATOR: FRED TRUCK, THE ELECTRIC BANK, 4225 UNIVERSITY, DES MOINES, IOWA 50311.
-------------------- 'CAISY' --------------------
TRANSLATOR: AMELIA BRESCIANI, RADIO STATION 2EA. PROJECT COORDINATOR: ERIC GIDNEY, LECTURER IN ELECTRONIC MEDIA AT THE CITY ART INSTITUTE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
-------------------- 'MASA' --------------------
TRANSLATOR AND PROJECT COORDINATOR: MASAYUKI HAYASHI, INTEC INC. (REPRESENTATIVE FOR I.P.SHARP ASSOCIATES) TOKYO, JAPAN.
-------------------- 'RAX' --------------------
TRANSLATOR: SUMIKO LESTER (JAPANESE CULTURAL SERVICE) PROJECT COORDINATOR: ROBERT ADRIAN X. (ARTEX STEWARD) VIENNA, AUSTRIA.
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'ASCOT' --------------------
LOCATION: GWENT COLLEGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCHOOL OF FINE ART, CAERLEON, WALES, U.K. TRANSLATION TEAM: FROM GERMAN- ALISON FOSTER, PAUL BEVAN FINE ART STUDENTS AT GWENT INTO WELSH- GORONWY DAVIES, LECTURER IN 3-D DESIGN, GWENT NIGEL GRIFFITHS, STUDENT IN EDUCATION, GWENT ORGANISER: ROY ASCOTT, HEAD OF FINE ART,GWENT; PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATIONS THEORY, UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED ARTS IN VIENNA.
-------------------- 'DAX' --------------------
TRANSLATOR: DAVID E. RENSHAW PROJECT COORDINATOR: BRUCE BRELAND, COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS, CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY, PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.
-------------------- 'SAIC' --------------------
TRANSLATOR: MARTON SASS TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR: KEVIN HUOTARI PROJECT COORDINATOR: PAUL HAYWARD SUPPORT GROUP: JOHN TIMMERMAN, BERNARD HASKEN, ANTONIO DE CAMPOS ROSADO, JOE DAVIS, KATHERINE SCHUTTA DOCUMENTATION: PAUL HAYWARD, KEVIN HUOTARI SPECIAL THANKS TO THE VIDEO AREA, SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO.
-------------------- 'NTW' --------------------
LOCATION: A-SPACE GALLERY, TORONTO, ONTARIO. TRANSLATOR: THEODOR CSIZMAZIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT: BOB BERNECKY (I.P.SHARP ASSOCIATES)
"HEARSAY" CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT: LAURA KIKAUKA, CARL HAMFELT, ROBERT ADRIAN X., AND NORMAN T. WHITE GALLERY INSTALLATION AND DOCUMENTATION: LAURA KIKAUKA, CARL HAMFELT, AND NORMAN T. WHITE. OVERALL PROJECT ORGANIZER: NORMAN T. WHITE
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SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO, BY GENEROUSLY RELEASING THEIR EXCELLENT SOFTWARE INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, TRANSFORMED MY OLD "CP/M COMPUTER" INTO A VALUABLE TOOL. [NTW] - RONALD G. FOWLER, FOR "MEX", A MODEM EXECUTIVE UTILITY. - DAVE RAND, FOR "NSWP", A FILE MAINTENANCE UTILITY.
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