Phase transition in a sexual age-structured model of learning foreign languages

Authored by V Schwammle

Date Published: 2006-01

DOI: 10.1142/s0129183106008807

Sponsors: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

The understanding of language competition helps us to predict extinction and survival of languages spoken by minorities. A simple agent-based model of a sexual population, based on the Penna model, is built in order to find out under which circumstances one language dominates other ones. This model considers that only young people learn foreign languages. The simulations show a first order phase transition of the ratio between the number of speakers of different languages with the mutation rate as control parameter.
Tags
Phase transition Aging language numerical model