Language Dynamics in Finite Populations Export

@article{citeulike:6101723, abstract = {Any mechanism of language acquisition can only learn a restricted set of grammars. The human brain contains a mechanism for language acquisition which can learn a restricted set of grammars. The theory of this restricted set is universal grammar (UG). UG has to be sufficiently specific to induce linguistic coherence in a population. This phenomenon is known as ” coherence threshold”. Previously, we have calculated the coherence threshold for deterministic dynamics and infinitely large populations. Here, we extend the framework to stochastic processes and finite populations. If there is selection for communicative function (selective language dynamics), then the analytic results for infinite populations are excellent approximations for finite populations; as expected, finite populations need a slightly higher accuracy of language acquisition to maintain coherence. If there is no selection for communicative function (neutral language dynamics), then linguistic coherence is only possible for finite populations. }, author = {Komarova, N. and Nowak, M.}, citeulike-article-id = {6101723}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jtbi.2003.3199}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022519303931997}, day = {07}, doi = {10.1006/jtbi.2003.3199}, issn = {00225193}, journal = {Journal of Theoretical Biology}, keywords = {komarova, language, nowak}, month = {April}, number = {3}, pages = {445--457}, posted-at = {2009-11-12 11:28:11}, priority = {2}, title = {Language Dynamics in Finite Populations}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jtbi.2003.3199}, volume = {221}, year = {2003} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:6101723 L3 - citeulike-article-id:6101723 N2 - Any mechanism of language acquisition can only learn a restricted set of grammars. The human brain contains a mechanism for language acquisition which can learn a restricted set of grammars. The theory of this restricted set is universal grammar (UG). UG has to be sufficiently specific to induce linguistic coherence in a population. This phenomenon is known as “coherence threshold”. Previously, we have calculated the coherence threshold for deterministic dynamics and infinitely large populations. Here, we extend the framework to stochastic processes and finite populations. If there is selection for communicative function (selective language dynamics), then the analytic results for infinite populations are excellent approximations for finite populations; as expected, finite populations need a slightly higher accuracy of language acquisition to maintain coherence. If there is no selection for communicative function (neutral language dynamics), then linguistic coherence is only possible for finite populations. IS - 3 JF - Journal of Theoretical Biology SN - 00225193 EP - 457 TI - Language Dynamics in Finite Populations VL - 221 SP - 445 KW - komarova KW - language KW - nowak AU - Komarova, N AU - Nowak, M PY - 2003/04/07/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jtbi.2003.3199 ER -