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Article published In: Interaction and Iconicity in the Evolution of Language:
Edited by Stefan Hartmann, Michael Pleyer, James Winters and Jordan Zlatev
[Interaction Studies 18:3] 2017
► pp. 314–329

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How to create a human communication system

A theoretical model

 | University of Western Australia |
 | University of Western Australia |
Published online: 8 December 2017
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/is.18.3.02lis
Following a synthesis of naturalistic and experimental studies of language creation, we propose a theoretical model that describes the process through which human communication systems might arise and evolve. Three key processes are proposed that give rise to effective, efficient and shared human communication systems: (1) motivated signs that directly resemble their meaning facilitate cognitive alignment, improving communication success; (2) behavioral alignment onto an inventory of shared sign-to-meaning mappings bolsters cognitive alignment between interacting partners; (3) sign refinement, through interactive feedback, enhances the efficiency of the evolving communication system. By integrating the findings across a range of diverse studies, we propose a theoretical model of the process through which the earliest human communication systems might have arisen and evolved. Importantly, because our model is not bound to a single modality it can describe the creation of shared sign systems across a range of contexts, informing theories of language creation and evolution.
Article outline
  • 1.Theoretical model
  • 2.Process 1: Motivated signs get communication systems started
  • 3.Process 2: Behaviour alignment enhances cognitive alignment
  • 4.Process 3: Sign refinement drives symbolization
  • 5.Conclusion
  • References
References (61)
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