IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wsi/acsxxx/v15y2012i03n04ns0219525911003414.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Neutral Evolution: A Null Model For Language Dynamics

Author

Listed:
  • RICHARD A. BLYTHE

    (SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, United Kingdom)

Abstract

We review the task of aligning simple models for language dynamics with relevant empirical data, motivated by the fact that this is rarely attempted in practice despite an abundance of abstract models. We propose that one way to meet this challenge is through the careful construction of null models. We argue in particular that rejection of a null model must have important consequences for theories about language dynamics if modeling is truly to be worthwhile. Our main claim is that the stochastic process of neutral evolution (also known as genetic drift or random copying) is a viable null model for language dynamics. We survey empirical evidence in favor and against neutral evolution as a mechanism behind historical language changes, highlighting the theoretical implications in each case.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard A. Blythe, 2012. "Neutral Evolution: A Null Model For Language Dynamics," Advances in Complex Systems (ACS), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(03n04), pages 1-20.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:acsxxx:v:15:y:2012:i:03n04:n:s0219525911003414
    DOI: 10.1142/S0219525911003414
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0219525911003414
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1142/S0219525911003414?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shimpei Okuda & Michio Hosaka & Kazutoshi Sasahara, 2023. "Detecting directional forces in the evolution of grammar: A case study of the English perfect with intransitives across EEBO, COHA, and Google Books," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Daniela Barbara Keller & Jörg Schultz, 2014. "Word Formation Is Aware of Morpheme Family Size," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(4), pages 1-6, April.
    3. Andres Karjus & Christine Cuskley, 2024. "Evolving linguistic divergence on polarizing social media," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wsi:acsxxx:v:15:y:2012:i:03n04:n:s0219525911003414. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Tai Tone Lim (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.worldscinet.com/acs/acs.shtml .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.