Effects of limiting memory capacity on the behaviour of exemplar dynamics. (26th July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Goodman, B.; Tupper, P. F.
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied probability. Volume 55:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 390
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2018-07-26
• Subjects: Exemplar model, -- linguistics, -- language change, -- extinction; Primary 91F20, -- Secondary 70F99; 519.2
• DOI: 10.1017/jpr.2018.25
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9002

Abstract

Abstract: Exemplar models are a popular class of models used to describe language change. Here we study how limiting the memory capacity of an individual in these models affects the system's behaviour. In particular, we demonstrate the effect this change has on the extinction of categories. Previous work in exemplar dynamics has not addressed this question. In order to investigate this, we will inspect a simplified exemplar model. We will prove for the simplified model that all the sound categories but one will always become extinct, whether memory storage is limited or not. However, computer simulations show that changing the number of stored memories alters how fast categories become extinct.