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arXiv 1408.1985cs.CLnlin.AOphysics.soc-ph
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语言系统的基层变化模式

A model of grassroots changes in linguistic systems

Northwestern University(西北大学);Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems(西北复杂系统研究所);Augustana College(奥古斯塔纳学院)

Janet B. Pierrehumbert, Forrest Stonedahl, Robert Daland

摘要:

语言规范之所以出现在人类社会中,是因为人们相互模仿。共享的语言系统为人们提供了共享知识和协调规划的好处。一旦规范到位,为什么它们会改变?这个问题与社会动力学理论中的广泛问题相呼应,对语言具有特殊的影响力。根据定义,创新者在创新首次出现时是少数。在某些社会动态领域,重要的少数群体可以通过他们的权力、名声或使用广播媒体对大多数人产生强烈影响。但大多数语言变化都是源于普通人的基层发展。在这里,我们开发了一个新的模型,在社区中的沟通行为,并确定了一个机制,由普通人的任意创新有一个很好的机会被广泛采用。为了互相模仿,人们必须对别人的行为形成一种心理表征。每次他们说话时,他们也必须决定自己产生哪种形式。我们引入了一个新的决策函数,使我们能够平滑地探索两种行为之间的空间:概率匹配(匹配传入经验的概率)和正则化(经常不成比例地产生某些形式)。使用蒙特卡罗方法,我们探讨了正则化程度,偏差在网络中的分布,和网络位置的创新者之间的相互作用。我们确定了两个制度的广泛采用任意创新,被视为网络中的信息级联。通过对经验输入的适度规范化,普通人(不是有良好关系的人)最有可能成为成功创新的来源。我们的研究结果揭示了语言变化理论中的一个主要的悬而未决的难题。该框架也为理解其他社会规范的动态提供了希望。

英文摘要:

Linguistic norms emerge in human communities because people imitate each other. A shared linguistic system provides people with the benefits of shared knowledge and coordinated planning. Once norms are in place, why would they ever change? This question, echoing broad questions in the theory of social dynamics, has particular force in relation to language. By definition, an innovator is in the minority when the innovation first occurs. In some areas of social dynamics, important minorities can strongly influence the majority through their power, fame, or use of broadcast media. But most linguistic changes are grassroots developments that originate with ordinary people. Here, we develop a novel model of communicative behavior in communities, and identify a mechanism for arbitrary innovations by ordinary people to have a good chance of being widely adopted. To imitate each other, people must form a mental representation of what other people do. Each time they speak, they must also decide which form to produce themselves. We introduce a new decision function that enables us to smoothly explore the space between two types of behavior: probability matching (matching the probabilities of incoming experience) and regularization (producing some forms disproportionately often). Using Monte Carlo methods, we explore the interactions amongst the degree of regularization, the distribution of biases in a network, and the network position of the innovator. We identify two regimes for the widespread adoption of arbritrary innovations, viewed as informational cascades in the network. With moderate regularization of experienced input, average people (not well-connected people) are the most likely source of successful innovations. Our results shed light on a major outstanding puzzle in the theory of language change. The framework also holds promise for understanding the dynamics of other social norms.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

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