The transmission of language : models of biological and cultural evolution
Theories of language evolution typically attribute its unique structure to pressures acting on the genetic transmission of a language faculty and on the cultural transmission of language itself. In strongly biological accounts, natural selection acting on the genetic transmission of the language faculty is seen as the key determinant of linguistic structure, with culture relegated to a relatively minor role. Strongly cultural accounts place greater emphasis on the role of learning in shaping language, with little or no biological adaptation. Formal modelling of the transmission of language, using mathematical or computational techniques, allows rigorous study of the impact of these two modes of transmission on the structure of language. In this thesis, computational models are used to investigate the evolution of symbolic vocabulary and compositional structure. To what extent can these aspects of language be explained in terms of purely biological or cultural evolution? Should we expect to see a fruitful interaction between these two adaptive processes in a dual transmission model? As a first step towards addressing these questions, models which focus on the cultural transmission of language are developed.
Smith, Kenneth
The transmission of language : models of biological and cultural evolution. Theories of language evolution typically attribute its unique structure to pressures acting on the genetic transmission of a language faculty and on the cultural transmission of language itself. In strongly biological accounts, natural selection acting on the genetic transmission of the language faculty is seen as the key determinant of linguistic structure, with culture relegated to a relatively minor role. Strongly cultural accounts place greater emphasis on the role of learning in shaping language, with little or no biological adaptation. Formal modelling of the transmission of language, using mathematical or computational techniques, allows rigorous study of the impact of these two modes of transmission on the structure of language. In this thesis, computational models are used to investigate the evolution of symbolic vocabulary and compositional structure. To what extent can these aspects of language be explained in terms of purely biological or cultural evolution? Should we expect to see a fruitful interaction between these two adaptive processes in a dual transmission model? As a first step towards addressing these questions, models which focus on the cultural transmission of language are developed.
transmission language model biological_cultural evolution theories language_evolution typically attribute unique structure pressure act genetic transmission language faculty cultural_transmission language itself strongly biological account natural_selection act genetic transmission language faculty see key determinant linguistic_structure culture relegate relatively minor role strongly cultural account place great_emphasis role learn shape language little biological adaptation formal model transmission language use mathematical computational technique allow rigorous study impact mode transmission structure language computational_model use_investigate evolution symbolic vocabulary compositional structure extent aspect language explain_term purely biological_cultural evolution expect see fruitful interaction adaptive process dual transmission model first_step towards address_question model focus cultural_transmission language develop