Concepedia

Publication | Closed Access

The cultural evolution of complex linguistic constructions in artificial sign languages

22

Citations

0

References

2017

Year

Yasamin Motamedi, Marieke Schouwstra, Jennifer Culbertson, Kenny Smith, Simon Kirby
UCL Discovery (University College London)

Abstract

Though most documented sign languages make use of space
\nto denote relationships between predicate arguments, studies
\nof emerging sign languages suggest that spatial reference does
\nnot emerge fully-formed but takes time to develop. We present
\nan artificial sign language learning experiment that expands
\nthe cultural evolutionary framework to investigate complex
\nlinguistic constructions. Our results demonstrate the gradual
\nemergence of consistent devices to distinguish between sentence
\narguments, some of which rely on iconic spatial contrasts.
\nThese findings mirror data from emerging sign languages
\nand point to the cultural mechanisms that facilitate the
\nevolution of complex linguistic structures.