Iterated learning: a framework for the emergence of language.
Language is culturally transmitted. Iterated learning, the process by which the output of one individual's learning becomes the input to other individuals' learning, provides a framework for investigating the cultural evolution of linguistic structure. We present two models, based upon the iterated learning framework, which show that the poverty of the stimulus available to language learners leads to the emergence of linguistic structure. Compositionality is language's adaptation to stimulus poverty.
Smith
Kenny
K
Language Evolution and Computation Research Unit, Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. kenny@ling.ed.ac.uk
Kirby
Simon
S
Brighton
Henry
H
D007802:Language; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer