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Language is a super-attractor: Does it evolve through subjective selection?
Christophe Frédéric Heintz1, Daniel Nettle2
1Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University, Vienna, Austria christophe.heintz@gmail.com heintzc@ceu.edu http://christophe.heintz.free.fr.
Abstract:
Language exemplifies Singh's super-attractor concept while testing the explanatory limits of subjective selection, which is just one of the processes of cultural evolution. Subjective selection explains many linguistic features through speakers' instrumental goals. However, other types of processes also shape language evolution: some, related to learning and perception, for instance, will not involve intentions or conscious selection. Others involve intentionally creating and transforming linguistic constructions rather than merely selecting them from random mutations.
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