Characterizing the evolutionary dynamics of language.
In a recent article Mitchener and Nowak present a model of the evolutionary dynamics of language. The model exhibits regular and chaotic oscillations in changes to the proportions of grammars spoken in a population over the course of evolution. These oscillations are within the purview of evolutionary game theory, but they suggest the lack of an evolutionarily stable strategy. Implications for self-organization across scales of adaptation are discussed.
Kello
Christopher T
CT
Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA. ckello@gmu.edu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008037:Linguistics; D008962:Models, Theoretical