Postgraduate Course: Simulating Language (LASC11113)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | 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. |
| Course description |
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.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 27,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
167 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
100 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment 1, 2 questions, 1 page answer per question, 30% (mid semester)
Assessment 2, 2 questions, 1 page answer per question, 70% (end semester) |
| Feedback |
One-to-one lab supervision (every week); feedback lecture (end of semester); feedback open office day (after return of assessment 1 marks) |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- critically assess research papers that use modelling techniques
- understand those aspects of evolutionary linguistics in which modelling has played a part
- understand multi-agent simulation, and basic evolutionary computation and machine learning techniques
- run and analyse computer simulation experiments in order to test hypotheses about the cultural and biological evolution of linguistic behaviour
- modify existing simulations and construct novel ones
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Attend all lectures and labs as scheduled |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Kenny Smith
Tel: (0131 6)50 3956
Email: kenny@ling.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Toni Noble
Tel: (0131 6)51 3188
Email: Toni.noble@ed.ac.uk |
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