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Statistical physics of language maps in the USA
J Burridge1, B Vaux2, M Gnacik1
1School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3HF, United Kingdom.
Physical Review. E
|April 20, 2019
Summary
Spatial linguistic patterns in the USA show distinct east-west connections. A physics model successfully replicated these language zones, supporting theories of greater east-west language transmission.
Area of Science:
- Computational Linguistics
- Statistical Physics
Background:
- Spatial linguistic surveys identify geographical zones of language dominance.
- These patterns are hypothesized to resemble coarsening phenomena in 2D physical systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the analogy between linguistic zones and physical system coarsening.
- To model spatial language variation using a generalized Potts model.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of Cambridge Online Survey of World Englishes data with a long-range interacting zero-temperature Potts model.
- Anisotropic modification of the interaction kernel along the east-west axis.
- Cluster analysis to identify linguistic zones.
Main Results:
- Relative displacements of population centers indicated enhanced east-west linguistic affinity.
- The anisotropic Potts model successfully reproduced three distinct linguistic zones.
- Model results were consistent across tested interaction parameters.
Conclusions:
- The study supports the analogy between linguistic spatial patterns and physical system coarsening.
- Anisotropic interactions in the model align with linguistic theories of east-west language transmission in the USA.
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