Conceptual similarity and communicative need shape colexification: an experimental study

TL;DR

This study uses human experiments with artificial languages to show that colexification patterns are influenced both by conceptual similarity and communicative needs, highlighting how language adapts to speaker requirements.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence that communicative needs, alongside conceptual similarity, influence colexification patterns in language.

Findings

Speakers prefer to colexify similar concepts when no communication constraints exist.

When frequent distinctions are needed, speakers adjust colexification to improve communicative efficiency.

Results support that language structure is shaped by both cognitive and communicative factors.

Abstract

Colexification refers to the phenomenon of multiple meanings sharing one word in a language. Cross-linguistic lexification patterns have been shown to be largely predictable, as similar concepts are often colexified. We test a recent claim that, beyond this general tendency, communicative needs play an important role in shaping colexification patterns. We approach this question by means of a series of human experiments, using an artificial language communication game paradigm. Our results across four experiments match the previous cross-linguistic findings: all other things being equal, speakers do prefer to colexify similar concepts. However, we also find evidence supporting the communicative need hypothesis: when faced with a frequent need to distinguish similar pairs of meanings, speakers adjust their colexification preferences to maintain communicative efficiency, and avoid colexifying those similar meanings which need to be distinguished in communication. This research provides further evidence to support the argument that languages are shaped by the needs and preferences of their speakers.