Vol 19 (2013), Articles
Submitted: 02-06-2014
Accepted: 02-06-2014
This paper has selected a model of linguistic variation in order to apply the framework of complex adaptive systems. In both cases the field of activity of the main agents is first local, but then it projects outside of this level, even though it has no concrete direction from any of the agents in-volved; this activity triggers the emergence of collective behaviors that could not be found among the initial intentions of the individuals (generated by micro-motives). In this way speakers might behave as a complex adaptive system in which the linguistic variation would be compensated by the need to maintain a minimum level of mutual intelligibility (which would be an attractor that is intrinsic to the system). The standard is, at the same time, another juxtaposed attractor introduced into the system by certain speakers in order to act as a bond of mutual intelligibility as well.
Complex adaptive system, Linguistic variation, Mutual intelligibility, Attractor