Modeling The Emergence Of Syllable Systems

In this paper we present an approach to modeling emergent syl lable systems using simulated evolution of a “vocabulary” o f “words.” The model is aimed at testing the general hypothesi s that language-universal sound patterns emerge from select ion pressures exerted on the system by the perceptual and articu latory constraints of language users. The model is able to di stinguish between hypotheses about how specific, biological lymotivated constraints affect the sound structure of langua ge. For example, it is shown that mandibular oscillation provid es a strong constraint on the sequential organization of phone mes into words. Future work will explore the potential of other constraints that, with mandibular oscillation, will be suf ficient to describe the emergence of syllable systems.