THE ONTOGENY OF SCALE-FREE SYNTAX NETWORKS: PHASE TRANSITIONS IN EARLY LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Bernat Corominas-Murtra (), Sergi Valverde () and Ricard Sol㉠()
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Bernat Corominas-Murtra: ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (GRIB), Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Sergi Valverde: ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (GRIB), Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Ricard Solã‰: ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (GRIB), Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA

Advances in Complex Systems (ACS), 2009, vol. 12, issue 03, pages 371-392

Abstract: Language development in children provides a window to understand the transition from protolanguage to language. Here we present the first analysis of the emergence of syntax in terms of complex networks. A previously unreported, sharp transition is shown to occur around two years of age from a (pre-syntactic) tree-like structure to a scale-free, small world syntax network. The development of these networks thus reveals a nonlinear dynamical pattern where the global topology of syntax graphs shifts from a hierarchical, tree-like pattern, to a scale-free organization. Such change seems difficult to be explained under a self-organization framework. Instead, it actually supports the presence of some underlying innate component, as early suggested by some authors.

Keywords: Language evolution; language acquisition; syntax; complex networks; small worlds (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009

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