skip to content
The computational nature of language learning and evolution
ClosePreview this item

The computational nature of language learning and evolution

Author: Partha Niyogi
Publisher: Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, ©2006.
Series: Current studies in linguistics series, 43.
Edition/Format:   Book : EnglishView all editions and formats
Summary:
"In this book, Partha Niyogi introduces a framework for analyzing the precise nature of the relationship between learning by the individual and evolution of the population.

Learning is the mechanism by which language is transferred from old speakers to new.

Niyogi shows that the evolution of language over time will depend upon the learning procedure - that different learning algorithms may have different

"Over the years, historical linguists have postulated several accounts of documented language change. Additionally, biologists have postulated accounts of the evolution of communication systems in the animal world.

This book creates a mathematical and computational framework within which to embed those accounts, offering a research tool to aid analysis in an area in which data is often sparse and speculation often plentiful."--Jacket.  Read more...

Rating:

(not yet rated) 0 with reviews - Be the first.

 

Find a copy online

Links to this item

Find a copy in the library

Retrieving... Finding libraries that hold this item...

Details

Additional Physical Format: Online version:
Niyogi, Partha.
Computational nature of language learning and evolution.
Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, c2006
(OCoLC)607838940
Material Type: Internet resource
Document Type: Book, Internet Resource
All Authors / Contributors: Partha Niyogi
ISBN: 0262140942 9780262140942 9780262513395 0262513390
OCLC Number: 62331114
Description: xviii, 482 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
Contents: I. The problem --
Introduction --
II. Language learning --
Language acquisition: the problem of inductive inference --
Language acquisition: a linguistic treatment --
Language acquisition: memoryless learning --
III. Language change --
Language change: a preliminary model --
Language change: multiple languages --
An application to Portuguese --
An application to Chinese phonology --
A model of cultural evolution and its application to language --
Variations and case studies --
IV. The origin of language --
The origin of communicative systems: communicative efficiency --
The origin of communicative systems: linguistic coherence and communicative fitness --
The origin of communicative systems: linguistic coherence and social learning --
V. Conclusions.
Series Title: Current studies in linguistics series, 43.
Responsibility: Partha Niyogi.
More information:

Abstract:

The introduction of a mathematical and computational framework within which to analyze the interplay between language learning and language evolution.  Read more...

Reviews

Editorial reviews

Publisher Synopsis

"A thoughtful and original analysis of important problems in the history, evolution, and acquisition of language." --Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author Read more...

 
User-contributed reviews
Retrieving weRead reviews...
Retrieving GoodReads reviews...
Retrieving Amazon reviews...

Tags

Be the first.
Confirm this request

You may have already requested this item. Please select Ok if you would like to proceed with this request anyway.

Close Window

Please sign in to WorldCat 

Don't have an account? You can easily create a free account.