Minimizing Dependency Length in Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) Languages: A Bounded Rationality Approach

Core Concepts

Language users in SOV languages minimize dependency length by placing a short preverbal constituent next to the main verb, rather than globally optimizing dependency length, reflecting a bounded rationality approach.

Abstract

This study investigates the cognitive mechanisms underlying dependency length minimization (DLM) in Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) languages. The key findings are: Corpus sentences in SOV languages consistently exhibit a preference for placing a short preverbal constituent next to the main verb, rather than globally minimizing dependency length. This 'least-effort' strategy aligns with the principles of bounded rationality, where decision-making is influenced by 'quick-yet-economical' heuristics rather than exhaustive searches for optimal solutions. The pressure to employ this least-effort strategy increases as the number of preverbal constituents grows, potentially suggesting that speakers aim to balance their production effort with their available computational capacity. In a classification task to identify corpus reference sentences amidst counterfactually generated variants, the least-effort strategy significantly improves the accuracy of the regression model above and beyond the total dependency length across SOV languages. These findings provide cross-linguistic evidence for the role of bounded rationality in linguistic decision-making and language evolution. The language system appears to prioritize satisfactory solutions that streamline the search space of possible constituent orders for efficient communication, rather than strictly optimal dependency length minimization.

Stats

The mother gave the crying child a toffee while going to the market. (DL=20) The mother gave the child a toffee while going to the market crying. (DL=23) The child crying the mother gave a toffee while going to the market. (DL=13) The mother gave the child a toffee while going to the market crying. (DL=17)

Quotes

"Language users in SOV languages minimize dependency length by placing a short preverbal constituent next to the main verb, rather than globally optimizing dependency length, reflecting a bounded rationality approach." "The pressure to employ this least-effort strategy increases as the number of preverbal constituents grows, potentially suggesting that speakers aim to balance their production effort with their available computational capacity."

Key Insights Distilled From

Work Smarter...Not Harder: Efficient Minimization of Dependency Length in SOV Languages

by Sidharth Ran... at arxiv.org 04-30-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2404.18684.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How do the findings of this study on bounded rationality in linguistic decision-making extend to other language typologies beyond SOV?

The findings of this study on bounded rationality in linguistic decision-making can be extended to other language typologies beyond SOV by considering the universal principles of cognitive resource limitations and efficient communication. While this study specifically focused on SOV languages, the concept of bounded rationality suggests that decision-making in language processing is influenced by cognitive constraints and the need for efficient communication. Therefore, in languages with different word orders or syntactic structures, similar principles of minimizing dependency length and employing least-effort strategies may still apply. By understanding how speakers balance production effort with cognitive capacity in SOV languages, researchers can explore how these principles manifest in different language typologies.

What are the potential implications of the least-effort strategy for language acquisition and processing in SOV languages?

The least-effort strategy identified in this study has several potential implications for language acquisition and processing in SOV languages. Firstly, for language learners, understanding and internalizing this strategy can aid in the acquisition of syntactic structures and word order preferences. By recognizing the cognitive mechanisms behind constituent ordering decisions, learners can more effectively produce and comprehend sentences in SOV languages. Additionally, the least-effort strategy can streamline language processing for both speakers and listeners, reducing cognitive load and enhancing communication efficiency. This strategy may also play a role in the development of language processing models and theories, providing insights into how humans navigate linguistic complexity and optimize communication in SOV languages.

How might the interplay between grammatical constraints, information structure, and dependency length minimization shape constituent ordering preferences across diverse languages?

The interplay between grammatical constraints, information structure, and dependency length minimization can significantly shape constituent ordering preferences across diverse languages. Grammatical constraints, such as word order rules and syntactic structures, influence how speakers organize constituents in a sentence. Information structure, including factors like topic-focus articulation and discourse coherence, can impact the ordering of constituents to convey meaning effectively. Dependency length minimization, as observed in this study, reflects the cognitive effort to reduce memory load by optimizing the arrangement of words in a sentence. Together, these factors interact to determine constituent ordering preferences in different languages. By balancing these influences, speakers navigate the trade-offs between grammatical constraints, information structure requirements, and cognitive processing constraints to produce coherent and efficient communication. This interplay highlights the complexity of language production and sheds light on the cognitive mechanisms underlying linguistic decision-making across diverse language typologies.