Objective
This project involves research into the origins and evolution of human language by using computer simulations. The research will concentrate on the following question: Have the underlying principles of language arisen through biological evolution or through cultural evolution? If language has evolved through biological evolution, the human genome should capture certain aspects of human languages. If it has evolved through cultural evolution, languages must be shaped through the interactions between humans rather than through biological adaptations. Within these two positions, the project focuses on the evolution of two particular aspect of human language, namely its compositional structure and its grounding in reality. In language expressions are composed of meaningful parts that can be recombined in other expressions; compare, for instance, the expressions "the red square" and "the blue square", where "the square" is composed with "red" and "blue". This is compositionality. Grounding relates to the question how the meanings of utterances relate to the real world phenomena they stand for. For instance, how does a language user know what "the red square" means? The research will be carried out using computer simulations in which a population of virtual robots will try to develop a language from scratch in order to communicate events that take place in their environment. We will investigate the question of whether language evolved culturally or biologically by developing two studies. In the first study no biological evolution will be used, but the robots will use communicative interactions and individual learning mechanisms to develop and transmit linguistic knowledge from one generation to the next. In the second study, where we investigate biological evolution, we will additionally pass linguistic knowledge genetically (i.e. using artificial DNA) to the offspring of a particular generation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- humanities languages and literature general language studies
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics mathematical model
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
EDINBURGH
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.