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Abstract. Most undeciphered lost languages exhibit two characteristics that pose significant decipherment challenges: the scripts are not fully segmented into words; the closest known language is not determined. We propose a decipherment model that handles both of these challenges by building on rich linguistic constraints reflecting consistent patterns in historical sound change. We capture the natural phonological geometry by learning character embeddings based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The resulting generative framework jointly models word segmentation and cognate alignment, informed by phonological constraints. We evaluate the model on both deciphered languages (Gothic, Ugaritic) and an undeciphered one (Iberian). The experiments show that incorporating phonetic geometry leads to clear and consistent gains.

Long Studio is a barn-style architects’ studio and home office in Maine, built by and for architecture office 30X40 Design Workshop.

The aluminium-clad studio is located on the grounds of studio founder Eric Reinholdt’s home on Mount Desert Island, off the coast of New England.

30X40 Design Workshop created the simple gabled structure as both a place to work and a practical demonstration of the office’s approach to architecture.