Situated cognition and the role of multi-agent models in explaining language structure

H Brighton*, S Kirby, K Smith

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionScientificpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

How and where are the universal features of language specified? We consider language users as situated agents acting as conduits for the cultural transmission of language. Using multi-agent computational models we show that certain hallmarks of language are adaptive in the context of cultural transmission. This observation requires us to reconsider the role of innateness in explaining the characteristic structure of language. The relationship between innate bias and the universal features of language becomes opaque when we consider that significant linguistic evolution can occur as a result of cultural transmission.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationADAPTIVE AGENTS AND MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS
EditorsE Alonso, D Kudenko, D Kazakov
PublisherSPRINGER-VERLAG BERLIN
Pages88-109
Number of pages22
ISBN (Print)3540400680
Publication statusPublished - 2003
Externally publishedYes
Event2nd Symposium on Adaptive Agents and Multi-Agent Systems - LONDON
Duration: 1 Apr 2002 → …

Publication series

NameLECTURE NOTES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
PublisherSPRINGER-VERLAG BERLIN
Volume2636
ISSN (Print)0302-9743

Conference

Conference2nd Symposium on Adaptive Agents and Multi-Agent Systems
CityLONDON
Period1/04/02 → …

Keywords

  • NATURAL-LANGUAGE
  • NEURAL NETWORKS
  • EVOLUTION
  • SYNTAX

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Situated cognition and the role of multi-agent models in explaining language structure'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this