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Effects of limiting memory capacity on the behaviour of exemplar dynamics

Part of: Other social and behavioral sciences (mathematical treatment)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2018

B. Goodman  and
P. F. Tupper
B. Goodman*
Affiliation:
Simon Fraser University
P. F. Tupper*
Affiliation:
Simon Fraser University
*
* Postal address: Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
* Postal address: Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Abstract

Exemplar models are a popular class of models used to describe language change. Here we study how limiting the memory capacity of an individual in these models affects the system's behaviour. In particular, we demonstrate the effect this change has on the extinction of categories. Previous work in exemplar dynamics has not addressed this question. In order to investigate this, we will inspect a simplified exemplar model. We will prove for the simplified model that all the sound categories but one will always become extinct, whether memory storage is limited or not. However, computer simulations show that changing the number of stored memories alters how fast categories become extinct.

Keywords

Exemplar modellinguisticslanguage changeextinction

MSC classification

Primary: 91F20: Linguistics
Secondary: 70F99: None of the above, but in this section
Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Applied Probability , Volume 55 , Issue 2 , June 2018 , pp. 390 - 401
Copyright
Copyright © Applied Probability Trust 2018 

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