We consider a description of languages in terms of strings of syntactic features (parameters) complying with a specified “universal grammar”, in the light of phylogenetic reconstruction. More specifically, we deal with two problems: assessing the statistical significance of distances used in [14] to build phylogenetic trees and counting the number of possible languages, i.e. of strings satisfying the implicational rules which describe dependencies between parameters of the specified universal grammar. In order to accomplish these tasks, we had to develop a sampling algorithm capable of dealing correctly with such rules. The linguistical significance of the results is briefly discussed.
How many possible languages are there? / Guardiano, Cristina; G., Longobardi; L., Bortolussi; A., Sgarro. - ELETTRONICO. - 1:(2011), pp. 1-2. (Intervento presentato al convegno 1st International Work-conference on Linguistics, Biology and Computer Science: Interplays tenutosi a Tarragona nel 14-18 Marzo 2011).
How many possible languages are there?
GUARDIANO, Cristina;
2011
Abstract
We consider a description of languages in terms of strings of syntactic features (parameters) complying with a specified “universal grammar”, in the light of phylogenetic reconstruction. More specifically, we deal with two problems: assessing the statistical significance of distances used in [14] to build phylogenetic trees and counting the number of possible languages, i.e. of strings satisfying the implicational rules which describe dependencies between parameters of the specified universal grammar. In order to accomplish these tasks, we had to develop a sampling algorithm capable of dealing correctly with such rules. The linguistical significance of the results is briefly discussed.
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