Learning Foreign Languages.Theoretical and Empirical Implications of the Selten and Pool Model

Victor Ginsburgh, Ortuño-Ortin, Ignacio and Shlomo Weber

No 4942, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: In this paper we adopt the Selten-Pool model (1993) framework of language acquisition that is based on the notion of communicative benefits and learning costs. We consider a model with languages that serve as imperfect substitutes and show that under supermodularity of the communicative benefits function and some other mild conditions, there exists a unique interior linguistic equilibrium. We then derive a demand function for foreign languages that we estimate for English, French, German and Spanish in 13 European countries.

Keywords: Languages; Communicative benefits; Learning costs; Linguistic distances; Estimation of demand functions for languages; European union (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C72 O52 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-gth
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Learning foreign languages: Theoretical and empirical implications of the Selten and Pool model (2007)
Working Paper: Learning foreign languages: Theoretical and empirical implications of the Selten and Pool model (2007)
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