Linguistic structure is an evolutionary trade-off between simplicity and expressivity

Kenny Smith; Monica Tamariz; Simon Kirby

Linguistic structure is an evolutionary trade-off between simplicity and expressivity

Kenny Smith, Monica Tamariz, Simon Kirby

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

21 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Language exhibits structure: a species-unique system for expressing complex meanings using complex forms. We present a review of modelling and experimental literature on the evolution of structure which suggests that structure is a cultural adaptation in response to pressure for expressivity (arising during communication) and compressibility (arising during learning), and test this hypothesis using a new Bayesian iterated learning model. We conclude that linguistic structure can and should be explained as a consequence of cultural evolution in response to these two pressures.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Editors	Markus Knauff , Michael Pauen , Natalie Sebanz , Ipke Wachsmuth
Place of Publication	Austin, TX
Publisher	Cognitive Science Society
Pages	1348-1353
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Print)	978-0-9768318-9-1
Publication status	Published - 2013
Event	35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society - Berlin, Germany Duration: 31 Jul 2013 → 3 Aug 2013

Conference

Conference	35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Abbreviated title	CogSci 2013
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Berlin
Period	31/07/13 → 3/08/13

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title = "Linguistic structure is an evolutionary trade-off between simplicity and expressivity",

abstract = "Language exhibits structure: a species-unique system for expressing complex meanings using complex forms. We present a review of modelling and experimental literature on the evolution of structure which suggests that structure is a cultural adaptation in response to pressure for expressivity (arising during communication) and compressibility (arising during learning), and test this hypothesis using a new Bayesian iterated learning model. We conclude that linguistic structure can and should be explained as a consequence of cultural evolution in response to these two pressures.",

author = "Kenny Smith and Monica Tamariz and Simon Kirby",

year = "2013",

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isbn = "978-0-9768318-9-1",

pages = "1348--1353",

editor = "{Knauff }, Markus and {Pauen }, Michael and {Sebanz }, Natalie and {Wachsmuth }, Ipke",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society",

publisher = "Cognitive Science Society",

note = "35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, CogSci 2013 ; Conference date: 31-07-2013 Through 03-08-2013",

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Smith, K, Tamariz, M & Kirby, S 2013, Linguistic structure is an evolutionary trade-off between simplicity and expressivity. in M Knauff , M Pauen , N Sebanz & I Wachsmuth (eds), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Cognitive Science Society, Austin, TX, pp. 1348-1353, 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Berlin, Germany, 31/07/13.

Linguistic structure is an evolutionary trade-off between simplicity and expressivity. / Smith, Kenny; Tamariz, Monica; Kirby, Simon.
Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. ed. / Markus Knauff ; Michael Pauen ; Natalie Sebanz ; Ipke Wachsmuth . Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society, 2013. p. 1348-1353.

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

TY - GEN

T1 - Linguistic structure is an evolutionary trade-off between simplicity and expressivity

AU - Smith, Kenny

AU - Tamariz, Monica

AU - Kirby, Simon

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Language exhibits structure: a species-unique system for expressing complex meanings using complex forms. We present a review of modelling and experimental literature on the evolution of structure which suggests that structure is a cultural adaptation in response to pressure for expressivity (arising during communication) and compressibility (arising during learning), and test this hypothesis using a new Bayesian iterated learning model. We conclude that linguistic structure can and should be explained as a consequence of cultural evolution in response to these two pressures.

AB - Language exhibits structure: a species-unique system for expressing complex meanings using complex forms. We present a review of modelling and experimental literature on the evolution of structure which suggests that structure is a cultural adaptation in response to pressure for expressivity (arising during communication) and compressibility (arising during learning), and test this hypothesis using a new Bayesian iterated learning model. We conclude that linguistic structure can and should be explained as a consequence of cultural evolution in response to these two pressures.

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 978-0-9768318-9-1

SP - 1348

EP - 1353

BT - Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society

A2 - Knauff , Markus

A2 - Pauen , Michael

A2 - Sebanz , Natalie

A2 - Wachsmuth , Ipke

PB - Cognitive Science Society

CY - Austin, TX

T2 - 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society

Y2 - 31 July 2013 through 3 August 2013

ER -

Linguistic structure is an evolutionary trade-off between simplicity and expressivity

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