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The Dynamics of Language Minorities: Evidence from an Agent-Based Model of Language Contact

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This article discusses the adoption of a complexity theory approach to study the dynamics of language contact within multilingual communities. It develops an agent-based model that simulates the dynamics of communication within a community where a minority and a majority group coexist. The individual choice of language for communication is based on a number of simple rules derived from a review of the main literature on the topic of language contact. These rules are then combined with different variables, such as the rate of exogamy of the minority group and the presence of relevant education policies, to estimate the trends of assimilation of the minority group into the majority one. The model is validated using actually observed data from the case of Romansh speakers in the canton of Grisons, Switzerland. The data collected from the simulations are then analysed by means of regression techniques. This paper shows that macro-level language contact dynamics can be explained by relatively simple micro-level behavioural patterns and that intergenerational transmission is crucial for the long-term survival of minority-language groups.

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  • Marco Civico, 2019. "The Dynamics of Language Minorities: Evidence from an Agent-Based Model of Language Contact," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 22(4), pages 1-3.
    • Handle: RePEc:jas:jasssj:2019-11-3
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    1. Daniel M. Abrams & Steven H. Strogatz, 2003. "Modelling the dynamics of language death," Nature, Nature, vol. 424(6951), pages 900-900, August.
    2. Alberto Russo, 2017. "An Agent Based Macroeconomic Model with Social Classes and Endogenous Crises," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 3(3), pages 285-306, November.
    3. Paul Smaldino & Cynthia Pickett & Jeffrey Sherman & Jeffrey Schank, 2012. "An Agent-Based Model of Social Identity Dynamics," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 15(4), pages 1-7.
    4. Francesco C. Billari, 2015. "Integrating macro- and micro-level approaches in the explanation of population change," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 69(sup1), pages 11-20, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Boissonneault & Paul Vogt, 2021. "A systematic and interdisciplinary review of mathematical models of language competition," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Marco Civico, 2022. "Simulating language knowledge across the EU: language regimes, language learning and consequences for linguistic disenfranchisement," Journal of Computational Social Science, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 537-563, May.

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