An agent-based model of a historical word order change

We aim to demonstrate that agent-based models can be a useful tool for historical linguists, by modeling the historical development of verbal cluster word order in Germanic languages. Our results show that the current order in German may have developed due to increased use of subordinate clauses, while the English order is predicted to be influenced by the grammaticalization of the verb to have. The methodology we use makes few assumptions, making it broadly applicable to other phenomena of language change.

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