Monotonicity and the value of a language

Gustavo Bergantiños () and Christian Trudeau
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Gustavo Bergantiños: ECOBAS, Universidade de Vigo

No 2403, Working Papers from University of Windsor, Department of Economics

Abstract: In Alcalde-Ulzu et al. (Journal of Economic Theory, 2022), a novel model to measure the value of a language is developed, and a family of value functions is axiomatically characterized. These functions are reminiscent of the Shapley value. We argue that a monotonicity axiom used to axiomatize the family favors majority languages. We show that by modifying this axiom we can obtain drastically di¤erent families of value functions and policy implications. We examine a family that simply de?nes the value of a language by the number of its speakers, while another starts by de?ning the value at the individual level before aggregating. By examining their policy implications in a variety of applications, we show how the families di¤er and argue that each might be tailored for di¤erent uses.

Keywords: value of language; communicative benefits; monotonicity; axiomatic analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C72 D61 D63 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29 pages
Date: 2024-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-gth and nep-mic
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