The CEU Department of Cognitive Science and the Social Mind Center cordially invites you
to its talk by
Vera Kempe<https://www.abertay.ac.uk/staff-search/professor-vera-kempe/> (Abertay
University, School of Social Health Sciences, Division of Psychology)
Date: Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 17:00-18:30
Location: CEU, Oktober 6. Street 7, room 101
Revisiting the Role of Children in Language Evolution and Language Change
Recent efforts using methods from experimental semiotics have been trying to understand
how cognitive processes that underpin language learning and language use contribute to
language evolution and language change. Here, a prominent notion is that structure arises
from the interaction of learners' cognitive constraints with communicative pressures
that operate during referential communication. The bulk of this research has been
conducted with adults yet research on creolisation and emergence of sign languages has
implicated children as the primary agents of linguistic change, attributing -
paradoxically - emergence of regularity and structure to children's cognitive
limitations. In this talk, I will review some recent evidence that challenges this notion
by demonstrating persistent failures of children in various experimental semiotics tasks
and tentatively suggest mechanisms by which accommodation and teaching of children by
adults might contribute to language evolution and language change.
We are looking forward to see you at the talk!
Cognitive Science Events at CEU:
http://cognitivescience.ceu.hu/events
Social Mind Center Events at CEU:
http://socialmind.ceu.edu/events
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