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Interlinguistic similarity and language death dynamics

J. Mira·A. Paredes
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Abstract

We analyze the time evolution of a system of two coexisting languages (Castillian Spanish and Galician, both spoken in northwest Spain) in the framework of a model given by Abrams and Strogatz [Nature 424, 900 (2003)]. It is shown that, contrary to the model's initial prediction, a stable bilingual situation is possible if the languages in competition are similar enough. Similarity is described with a simple parameter, whose value can be estimated from fits of the data.

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J. Mira, A. Paredes. 2005-01-18. Interlinguistic similarity and language death dynamics. https://doi.org/10.1209/epl%2Fi2004-10438-4

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