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Simulating the Effects of Cross-Generational Cultural Transmission on Language Change

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Towards a Theoretical Framework for Analyzing Complex Linguistic Networks

Part of the book series: Understanding Complex Systems ((UCS))

Abstract

Language evolves in a socio-cultural environment. Apart from biological evolution and individual learning, cultural transmission also casts important influence on many aspects of language evolution. In this paper, based on the lexicon-syntax coevolution model, we extend the acquisition framework in our previous work to examine the roles of three forms of cultural transmission spanning the offspring, parent, and grandparent generations in language change. These transmissions are: those between the parent and offspring generations (PO), those within the offspring generation (OO), and those between the grandparent and offspring generations (GO). The simulation results of the considered model and relevant analyses illustrate not only the necessity of PO and OO transmissions for language change, thus echoing our previous findings, but also the importance of GO transmission, a form of cross-generational cultural transmission, on preserving the mutual understandability of the communal language across generations of individuals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA

    Tao Gong & Lan Shuai

Authors
  1. Tao Gong
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  2. Lan Shuai
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Correspondence to Tao Gong .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Alexander Mehler

  2. Department of Mathematics and Conputer S, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Andy Lücking

  3. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Sven Banisch

  4. Department of Physics, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

    Philippe Blanchard

  5. Department of Linguistics and Literature, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

    Barbara Job

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Gong, T., Shuai, L. (2016). Simulating the Effects of Cross-Generational Cultural Transmission on Language Change. In: Mehler, A., Lücking, A., Banisch, S., Blanchard, P., Job, B. (eds) Towards a Theoretical Framework for Analyzing Complex Linguistic Networks. Understanding Complex Systems. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47238-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47238-5_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-47237-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-47238-5

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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