Semiotic Dynamics and Emergent Grammar
One-day satellite Workshop related to the European Conference on Complex Systems - Paris, 18 November 2005

Speakers and Schedule

Introduction

The emergence of grammar remains one of the most challenging puzzles of science. The key question is how there could be true level formation, i.e. how a layer of syntactic and semantic categories and constructions could arise to establish form-meaning mappings. The goal of the workshop is to present and discuss empirical examples of the emergence of new grammar, computer/robotic simulations of experiments where such forms of emergence can be seen, or theoretical analysis of self-organisation in language. Attempts will also be made to look at level formation in other complex systems (particularly biology) and to see whether a generic theory of level formation is possible.
Computational and robotic demonstrations form an important part of the workshop.

Schedule

9.00 Welcome Address (Luc Steels)    

I. Semiotic Dynamics

9.30 Luc Steels Fluid Construction Grammars and Embodiment (University of Brussels - Sony CSL Paris)
10.15 Pat Healy Graphical Language Games: Interactional Constraints On Representational Form (Queen Mary College of London)
11.00 Coffee Break and Demonstration Posters    
11.30 Vittorio Loreto Complex Systems Approach to Semiotic Dynamics (University of Rome)
12.15 Eors Szathmary Level Formation in Biological Systems (Collegium Budapest)
13.00 Lunch break and Demonstrations    


II. Emergent Grammar

14.00 William Croft The relationship between grammar and language in an evolutionary model (University of Manchester / University of New Mexico)
14.45 Joachim De Beule Emerging argument structure constructions through communicative interactions (University of Brussels)
15.30 Coffee Break and Demonstrations    
16.30 Holger Diessel A usage-based approach to grammatical development (University of Jena)
17.15 Paul Vogt On the acquisition and evolution of compositional languages: Sparse input and the productive creativity of children (University of Edinburgh)
18.30 Open Discussion and Conclusions