Investigating the effects of prestige on the diffusion of linguistic variants

Monica Tamariz; Tao Gong; Gerhard Jäger

Investigating the effects of prestige on the diffusion of linguistic variants

Monica Tamariz, Tao Gong, Gerhard Jäger

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Language, arguably the cognitive capacity that distinguishes humans, is a dynamic complex adaptive system whose structure and evolution is influenced by a host of factors. This paper takes a population dynamics approach to investigate the diffusion of linguistic variants in populations, focusing on the effect of differential prestige of linguistic variants and of speakers. A novel method that combines computer simulation with mathematical modeling is applied to the specific aim of identifying factors that formally constitute selective pressures on variant diffusion. Of the factors studied, only the intrinsic prestige of variants is found to pose selective pressure, while speakers’ prestige merely modulates variant spread.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Editors	Laura Carlson , Christoph Hölscher , Thomas F. Shipley
Publisher	Cognitive Science Society
Pages	1491-1496
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Print)	978-0-9768318-7-7)
Publication status	Published - 2011
Event	33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society - Boston, Massachusetts, United States Duration: 20 Jul 2011 → 23 Jul 2011

Conference

Conference	33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Abbreviated title	CogSci 2011
Country/Territory	United States
City	Boston, Massachusetts
Period	20/07/11 → 23/07/11

Cite this

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title = "Investigating the effects of prestige on the diffusion of linguistic variants",

abstract = "Language, arguably the cognitive capacity that distinguishes humans, is a dynamic complex adaptive system whose structure and evolution is influenced by a host of factors. This paper takes a population dynamics approach to investigate the diffusion of linguistic variants in populations, focusing on the effect of differential prestige of linguistic variants and of speakers. A novel method that combines computer simulation with mathematical modeling is applied to the specific aim of identifying factors that formally constitute selective pressures on variant diffusion. Of the factors studied, only the intrinsic prestige of variants is found to pose selective pressure, while speakers{\textquoteright} prestige merely modulates variant spread.",

author = "Monica Tamariz and Tao Gong and Gerhard J{\"a}ger",

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booktitle = "Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society",

publisher = "Cognitive Science Society",

note = "33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, CogSci 2011 ; Conference date: 20-07-2011 Through 23-07-2011",

}

Tamariz, M, Gong, T & Jäger, G 2011, Investigating the effects of prestige on the diffusion of linguistic variants. in L Carlson , C Hölscher & TF Shipley (eds), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Cognitive Science Society, pp. 1491-1496, 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 20/07/11.

Investigating the effects of prestige on the diffusion of linguistic variants. / Tamariz, Monica; Gong, Tao; Jäger, Gerhard.
Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. ed. / Laura Carlson ; Christoph Hölscher ; Thomas F. Shipley . Cognitive Science Society, 2011. p. 1491-1496.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Investigating the effects of prestige on the diffusion of linguistic variants

AU - Tamariz, Monica

AU - Gong, Tao

AU - Jäger, Gerhard

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Language, arguably the cognitive capacity that distinguishes humans, is a dynamic complex adaptive system whose structure and evolution is influenced by a host of factors. This paper takes a population dynamics approach to investigate the diffusion of linguistic variants in populations, focusing on the effect of differential prestige of linguistic variants and of speakers. A novel method that combines computer simulation with mathematical modeling is applied to the specific aim of identifying factors that formally constitute selective pressures on variant diffusion. Of the factors studied, only the intrinsic prestige of variants is found to pose selective pressure, while speakers’ prestige merely modulates variant spread.

AB - Language, arguably the cognitive capacity that distinguishes humans, is a dynamic complex adaptive system whose structure and evolution is influenced by a host of factors. This paper takes a population dynamics approach to investigate the diffusion of linguistic variants in populations, focusing on the effect of differential prestige of linguistic variants and of speakers. A novel method that combines computer simulation with mathematical modeling is applied to the specific aim of identifying factors that formally constitute selective pressures on variant diffusion. Of the factors studied, only the intrinsic prestige of variants is found to pose selective pressure, while speakers’ prestige merely modulates variant spread.

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 978-0-9768318-7-7)

SP - 1491

EP - 1496

BT - Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society

A2 - Carlson , Laura

A2 - Hölscher , Christoph

A2 - Shipley , Thomas F.

PB - Cognitive Science Society

T2 - 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society

Y2 - 20 July 2011 through 23 July 2011

ER -

Investigating the effects of prestige on the diffusion of linguistic variants

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