Conceptual Similarity and Communicative Need Shape Colexification: An Experimental Study |
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Authors: | Andres Karjus Richard A Blythe Simon Kirby Tianyu Wang Kenny Smith |
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Institution: | 1. ERA Chair for Cultural Data Analytics, Tallinn University;2. Centre for Language Evolution, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh;3. Centre for Language Evolution, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh |
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Abstract: | Colexification refers to the phenomenon of multiple meanings sharing one word in a language. Cross-linguistic lexification patterns have been shown to be largely predictable, as similar concepts are often colexified. We test a recent claim that, beyond this general tendency, communicative needs play an important role in shaping colexification patterns. We approach this question by means of a series of human experiments, using an artificial language communication game paradigm. Our results across four experiments match the previous cross-linguistic findings: all other things being equal, speakers do prefer to colexify similar concepts. However, we also find evidence supporting the communicative need hypothesis: when faced with a frequent need to distinguish similar pairs of meanings, speakadjust their colexification preferences to maintain communicative efficiency and avoid colexifying those similar meanings which need to be distinguished in communication. This research provides further evidence to support the argument that languages are shaped by the needs and preferences of their speakers. |
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Keywords: | Colexification Communicative need Experimental Artificial language Complexity Cognitive cost Expressivity Communicative cost |
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