An Ising-like model for language evolution
Multiagent Systems
2023-05-24 v1
Abstract
I propose a novel Ising-like model of language evolution. In a simple way, Ising-like models represent the countervailing tendencies towards convergence and change present in language evolution. In the ordinary Ising-model, a node on a graph, in this case representing a language speaker, interacts with all its neighbors. In contrast, in the model proposed here, a node only interacts with the neighboring node whose state-vector is most similar to its own. This reflects the tendency of people to interact with others who speak a similar language. Unlike the ordinary Ising model, which tends towards language continua, this new model allows language boundaries.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2305.13916,
title = {An Ising-like model for language evolution},
author = {Conor Houghton},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2305.13916},
year = {2023}
}
Comments
Three page extended abstract, accepted to ALIFE 2023