Swap distance minimization in SOV languages. Cognitive and mathematical foundations
Ramon Ferrer-i-Cancho and Savithry Namboodiripad
距离最小化是语言的一般原则。 在字顺序域中,这一原则的一个特例是交换距离最小化。 这一原则预测,通过减少相邻成分的互换达到的规范顺序的变化是昂贵的,因此更有可能。 在这里,我们研究了主题(S),object(O)和动词(V)形成的三重结构中的原则。 我们介绍了单词顺序旋转的概念,作为该预测的认知基础。 当语言的典型顺序为SOV时,该原理预测SOV < SVO,OSV < VSO,OVS < VOS,以增加认知成本。 我们用三种灵活的SOV语言测试预测:韩语(韩语)、马来亚拉姆语(Dravidian)和僧伽罗语(Indo-European)。 交换距离最小化的证据在所有三种语言中都有,但在僧伽罗语中却较弱。 交换距离最小化比韩语特别是马来亚拉姆语的偏好更强。
Distance minimization is a general principle of language. A special case of this principle in the domain of word order is swap distance minimization. This principle predicts that variations from a canonical order that are reached by fewer swaps of adjacent constituents are lest costly and thus more likely. Here we investigate the principle in the context of the triple formed by subject (S), object (O) and verb (V). We introduce the concept of word order rotation as a cognitive underpinning of th...