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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2016/2017

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Language Sciences

Undergraduate Course: Simulating Language (LASC10018)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryIn this course, we will build and run experiments with very simple models that nevertheless cast light on a wide range of puzzles - from the origins of animal communication all the way to the emergence of patterns of regularity and irregularity in language structure. Each of these models will build on the previous ones and at each step we will relate the practical work we are doing with the existing literature on simulating language, as well as broader issues in the scientific understanding of the origins and ongoing evolution of language
Course description The study of the origins and evolution of language and communication has seen a resurgence of interest in recent years. Part of the reason for this has been the application of new techniques from computer modelling to test out different hypotheses about how language evolved. This allows researchers to run experiments on populations of simulated individuals, essentially rerunning competing proposed scenarios for the evolution of language.

In this course, we will build and run experiments with very simple models that nevertheless cast light on a wide range of puzzles - from the origins of animal communication all the way to the emergence of patterns of regularity and irregularity in language structure. Each of these models will build on the previous ones and at each step we will relate the practical work we are doing with the existing literature on simulating language, as well as broader issues in the scientific understanding of the origins and ongoing evolution of language.

This course will be suitable for anyone interested in the dynamic processes underpinning language, including individual learning, cultural transmission, and biological evolution. It will involve a mix of practical lab work, lectures and discussions.

Experience of programming (using any language) would be an advantage, but is not a prerequisite.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: LEL2A: Linguistic Theory and the Structure of English (LASC08017) OR LEL2B: Phonetic Analysis and Empirical Methods (LASC08018)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students should have at least 3 Linguistics/Language Sciences courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2016/17, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  0
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 27, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 169 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) The format will be two take-home assignments (worth 50% each). Each assignment will consist of one practical question and one theoretical question with a strict limit of one side of A4 for each answer. The first assignment will be given mid semester, allowing the students to receive feedback before tackling the second at the end of semester.
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
- An ability to critically assess research papers that use modelling techniques;
- an understanding of those aspects of evolutionary linguistics in which modelling has played a part;
- an understanding of multi-agent simulation, and basic evolutionary computation and machine learning techniques;
- an ability to run and analyse computer simulation experiments in order to test hypotheses about the cultural and biological evolution of linguistic behaviour;
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Additional Class Delivery Information Teaching Contact Time: 9 weeks out of 11 at 3 hours/week = 27 hours
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserProf Simon Kirby
Tel: (0131 6)50 3494
Email: s.kirby@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Emma Nelson
Tel: (0131 6)50 9870
Email: Emma.Nelson@ed.ac.uk
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