Systematicity is Triggered by Semantic Proximity not Density
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Systematicity is Triggered by Semantic Proximity not Density T. Mark Ellison, Nicolas Fay Psychology, University of Western Australia
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Systematicity is Triggered by Semantic Proximity not Density. T. Mark Ellison, Nicolas Fay Psychology, University of Western Australia. Language Origins. la Société n'admet aucune communication concernant , soit l'origine du langage … Société de linguistique de Paris (1866). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Systematicity is Triggered by Semantic Proximity not Density
Systematicity is Triggered by Semantic Proximity not Density
T. Mark Ellison, Nicolas FayPsychology, University of Western Australia
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Language Origins
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la Société n'admet aucune communication concernant, soit l'origine du langage …Société de linguistique de Paris (1866)
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What’s Different
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1866 NowModern Languages More (about) Modern LanguagesAncient Languages More (about) Ancient LanguagesSpeculation Animal Communication
NeuropsycholinguisticsArcheology / PaleontologyExperimental Semiotics
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Language Origins
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Modern LanguageAnimal Communication
Path through Intermediary Stages
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Language Origins
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Modern LanguageAnimal Communication ?Protolanguage
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Holism vs Systematicity
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3 atomic calls
Take cover! Eagle!Find a tree! Leopard!Look down! Python! Let’s chase it away!
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Holism vs Systematicity
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1 word = sentencearbitrary signs
- /mεbita/ give her the food
- /ikatubε/ give me the food
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Holism vs Systematicity
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Holism vs Systematicity
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Similar expressions with similar meanings:• Kim baked a pie.• Kim baked a lasagne.• Kim baked a bean lasagne.• Kim baked in the sun.• Jean baked a lasagne.
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Holism vs Systematicity
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Polish Translationpiec to cookpiec a stovepieczywo baked foods / breadpiekłem I (masc) bakedpiekłyście you (pl femm) bakedpiekło hell
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Holism vs Systematicity
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Phonaesthemes:
Systematicity:• similar meanings• similar forms• shared parts
snore gleamsnuff glistensniff glowsnot glittersnout glazesneer glasssneeze
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Interpolation
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Type Lexicon StructureAnimal Comms Tiny HolismProtolanguage ? ?Human Language Large Systematicity
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Language Evolution
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Type Lexicon StructurePrimate Tiny HolisticProtolanguage Large HolisticLanguage Large Systematic
Holistic protolanguage e.g. Wray (1998)
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Large Holistic Communication System
- /ikalεsi/ give him the food- /mεbita/ give her the food- /ikatubε/ give me the food- /boraka/ give them the food- /lasarat/ give us the food
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Protolanguage
Hypothesis I:spontaneous representational systems will be
holisticTest using Experimental Semiotics
psychological experiments manipulating the creation/use of representational systems
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The Pictionary Task
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Directo
r
Matcher
• Theatre• Art Gallery• Museum• Parliament• Robert De Niro• Arnold Schwarzenegger• Clint Eastwood• Drama• Soap Opera• Homesick• Cartoon• Television• Computer Monitor• Microwave• Loud• Poverty
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Pictionary Task – Garrod (2007)
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Pictionary TaskFreehand6 games16 concepts
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Measuring Systematicity
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• measure of (dis)similarity of representations• computationally hard for free-hand drawing• SO: vector graphics – ellipses, rectangles,
triangles and lines• use edit distance to measure dissimilarity
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The SVG Pictionary Task
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What’s Different
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Pictionary Task Vector Graphics Pictionary TaskFreehand Vector graphics6 games 2 rounds * 4 games per round16 concepts 18 concepts
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Protolanguage
Hypothesis I:spontaneous representational systems will be
holistic
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Protolanguage
Hypothesis I:signs in semantic clusters will be no more similar
than signs for unrelated meanings(i.e. lacking in systematicity)
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The Stimuli
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Concepts: 6 groups of 3 clustered concepts each
WoodTree
Boulder
Forest
StoneRock
GoldBronze Silver
FireBlaze Volcano
WineBeer
Whisky
JacketTrousers
Shirt
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Measuring Dissimilarity
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Between Distance: Average dissimilarity
Wood
Tree
Forest
Gold
Bronze
Silver
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Measuring Dissimilarity
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Within Cluster Distance: Average dissimilarity
Wood
Tree
Forest
Gold
Bronze
Silver
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Crowding Triggers Systematicity
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Within Between
Dissimilarity
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Crowding Triggers Systematicity
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proximity– that there is at least one other in
the neighbourhooddensity?– how many meanings are in a
neighbourhood
What drives Systematicity?
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Density vs Proximity
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wineWood
Tree
GoldBronze Silver
FireBlaze
WineBeer
Whisky
JacketShirt
Proximal and Dense
Proximal but Sparse
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No Effect of Density
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Within BetweenSparse Dense DenseSparse
Dissimilarity
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Conclusion
• Crowding leads immediately to systematicity– but density is unimportant
• Proximity of meanings leads to systematicity
SO: a large holistic lexicon seems unlikely
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Comlab.me
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this research was supported in part by an ARC Discovery grant (DP120104237) awarded to NF
