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Computational and evolutionary aspects of language

Author

Listed:
  • Martin A. Nowak

    (Institute for Advanced Study)

  • Natalia L. Komarova

    (Institute for Advanced Study
    University of Leeds)

  • Partha Niyogi

    (University of Chicago)

Abstract

Language is our legacy. It is the main evolutionary contribution of humans, and perhaps the most interesting trait that has emerged in the past 500 million years. Understanding how darwinian evolution gives rise to human language requires the integration of formal language theory, learning theory and evolutionary dynamics. Formal language theory provides a mathematical description of language and grammar. Learning theory formalizes the task of language acquisition—it can be shown that no procedure can learn an unrestricted set of languages. Universal grammar specifies the restricted set of languages learnable by the human brain. Evolutionary dynamics can be formulated to describe the cultural evolution of language and the biological evolution of universal grammar.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin A. Nowak & Natalia L. Komarova & Partha Niyogi, 2002. "Computational and evolutionary aspects of language," Nature, Nature, vol. 417(6889), pages 611-617, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:417:y:2002:i:6889:d:10.1038_nature00771
    DOI: 10.1038/nature00771
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    Cited by:

    1. Stanisz, Tomasz & Drożdż, Stanisław & Kwapień, Jarosław, 2023. "Universal versus system-specific features of punctuation usage patterns in major Western languages," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    2. Safarzynska, Karolina & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2011. "Beyond replicator dynamics: Innovation-selection dynamics and optimal diversity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 78(3), pages 229-245, May.
    3. Marcelo A Montemurro & Damián H Zanette, 2011. "Universal Entropy of Word Ordering Across Linguistic Families," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(5), pages 1-9, May.
    4. David Bodoff & Ron Bekkerman & Julie Dai, 2017. "Evolution of language: An empirical study at eBay Big Data Lab," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(12), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Karolina Safarzyńska & Jeroen Bergh, 2013. "An evolutionary model of energy transitions with interactive innovation-selection dynamics," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 271-293, April.
    6. Dirk Helbing & Anders Johansson, 2010. "Cooperation, Norms, and Revolutions: A Unified Game-Theoretical Approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(10), pages 1-15, October.
    7. Nie, Lin-Fei & Teng, Zhi-Dong & Nieto, Juan J. & Jung, Il Hyo, 2015. "State impulsive control strategies for a two-languages competitive model with bilingualism and interlinguistic similarity," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 430(C), pages 136-147.
    8. M Ángeles Serrano & Alessandro Flammini & Filippo Menczer, 2009. "Modeling Statistical Properties of Written Text," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(4), pages 1-8, April.
    9. Bakalis, Evangelos & Galani, Alexandra, 2012. "Modeling language evolution: Aromanian, an endangered language in Greece," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 391(20), pages 4963-4969.
    10. Adam Gifford, 2012. "John R. Searle: The making of the social world: the structure of human civilization," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 95-99, April.
    11. Parshad, Rana D. & Bhowmick, Suman & Chand, Vineeta & Kumari, Nitu & Sinha, Neha, 2016. "What is India speaking? Exploring the “Hinglish” invasion," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 449(C), pages 375-389.
    12. Michael J Weir & Catherine M Ashcraft & Natallia Leuchanka Diessner & Bridie McGreavy & Emily Vogler & Todd Guilfoos, 2020. "Language effects on bargaining," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-20, March.
    13. Rodriguez, E. & Aguilar-Cornejo, M. & Femat, R. & Alvarez-Ramirez, J., 2014. "Scale and time dependence of serial correlations in word-length time series of written texts," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 414(C), pages 378-386.
    14. Patriarca, Marco & Heinsalu, Els, 2009. "Influence of geography on language competition," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 388(2), pages 174-186.
    15. Simon M. Huttegger & Kevin J. S. Zollman, 2016. "The Robustness of Hybrid Equilibria in Costly Signaling Games," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 347-358, September.

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