The emergence of word order from a social network perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID21307409
AuthorsShiri Lev‐ari (0000-0002-3784-5184, Royal Holloway University of London, corresponding author), Shiri Lev-Ari
Year2023
Volume237
Pages105466
Publication date2023-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCognition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0010-0277 • E-ISSN: 1873-7838
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105466
PMID37116321
OpenAlexW4367046487
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited39

The distribution of word order across languages is skewed with SOV order (e.g., researchers sentences write) and SVO order (e.g., researchers write sentences) being >100 times more common than OSV order (sentences researchers write). It is commonly assumed that cross-linguistic preferences reflect cognitive biases, but it is unknown why some languages exhibit dispreferred patterns, or why languages settle on a specific pattern out of several preferred ones. This paper tests whether larger communities are more likely to rely on cross-linguistically preferred patterns as a way to overcome the greater communicative challenges they encounter. Participants played a communication game in large groups, small groups, or alone. Results support the hypothesis that community size influences word order as well as suggest that SOV and SVO orders are prevalent for different reasons with SVO specifically addressing communicative pressures. The studies thus show how community structure can give rise to cross-linguistic preferences, when these preferences can be overridden, and suggest how language might change with changes in social structure

Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Linguistics · Order (exchange) · Perspective (graphical) · Word (group theory) · Word order · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Digital Communication and Language · Language and cultural evolution · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Psychology

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