The ontogeny of scale-free syntax networks: phase transitions in early language acquisition
Abstract
Language development in children provides a window to understand the transition from protolanguage to language. Here we present the first analysis of the emergence of syntax in terms of complex networks. A previously unreported, sharp transition is shown to occur around two years of age from a (pre-syntactic) tree-like structure to a scale-free, small world syntax network. The development of these networks thus reveals a nonlinear dynamical pattern where the global topology of syntax graphs shifts from a hierarchical, tree-like pattern, to a scale-free organization. Such change seems difficult to be explained under a self-organization framework. Instead, it actually supports the presence of some underlying innate component, as early suggested by some authors.
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Dependency analysis is an effective way to construct a syntactic network for analyzing the development of syntactic structures among language learners.
“Previous studies have shown that dependency analysis is an effective way to construct a syntactic network for analyzing the development of syntactic structures among language learners (Corominas-Murtra et al., 2009; Jiang et al., 2019).”
From Syntactic Networks of Interlanguage Across L2 Modalities and Proficiency Levels (2021) · cites this paper as Corominas-Murtra et al., 2009
In L1 acquisition, children's syntactic development progresses from pre-syntactic organization to a scale-free and small-world complex syntactic network by leaps and bounds.
“This suggests that the syntactic development of L1 acquisition of children progresses from pre-syntactic organization to a scale-free and small-world complex syntactic network by leaps and bounds.”
From Syntactic Networks of Interlanguage Across L2 Modalities and Proficiency Levels (2021) · cites this paper as Corominas-Murtra et al. (2009)
Native language syntactic development in children exhibits emergence, marking a pivot from pre-syntactic organization to a scale-free and small-world syntactic network.
“From the perspective of the complex system, the syntactic development of the native language of children witnesses emergence, signaling the pivot from the pre-syntactic organization to a scale-free and small-world syntactic network.”
From Syntactic Networks of Interlanguage Across L2 Modalities and Proficiency Levels (2021) · cites this paper as Corominas-Murtra et al. (2009)
A sharp transition in syntax occurs around 24 months and is close to adult proficiency, although children's vocabularies are inferior to adults'.
“According to Corominas-Murtra et al. (2009), although vocabularies of children are inferior to those of adults, a sharp transition in syntax, occurring around 24 months, is close to adult proficiency.”
From Syntactic Networks of Interlanguage Across L2 Modalities and Proficiency Levels (2021) · cites this paper as Corominas-Murtra et al. (2009)
Cites
The faculty of language: what is it, who has it, and how did it evolve?
Hauser, M. D., Chomsky, N., & Fitch, W. T. (2002) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.298.5598.1569 · Cited by 5,189 · see citing works
Bollobás, B. (2001) · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511814068 · Cited by 2,639 · see citing works
Learning and development in neural networks: the importance of starting small
Elman, J. L. (1993) · Cognition · doi:10.1016/0010-0277(93)90058-4 · Cited by 1,988 · see citing works
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Syntactic Networks of Interlanguage Across L2 Modalities and Proficiency Levels
Hao, Y., Wang, X., Wu, M., & Liu, H. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643120 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- COROMINAS-MURTRA, B., VALVERDE, S., & SOLÉ, R.
- Affiliations
- ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (GRIB), Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
- Venue
- Advances in Complex Systems
- Publisher
- World Scientific Pub Co Pte Ltd
- Published
- 2009-06
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 03
- Pages
- 371-392
- ISSN
- 0219-5259 (ISSN-L)
- 1793-6802
- OpenAlex
- W2143493461
- Cited by
- 71
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 5.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Advances in Complex Systems (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Complex Network Analysis Techniques
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Language and cultural evolution
- Keywords
- language acquisition, syntactic development, scale-free networks, small-world networks, complex networks, phase transitions, ontogeny, tree-like structures, innate language ability, self-organization, child language
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