Simulating Language Games of the Two Word Stage using Unification and Substitutions on a Corpus of Exemplars with a focus on Semantics

An exemplar-based model of language acquisition is presented, based on a minimalist meaning representation. The model demonstrates that semantics and pragmatics in combination with unification and substitution mechanisms for recombination can account for both comprehension and production in the two word stage, as well as mimicking the discrepancy in performance between language comprehension and production of children in that stage. The model is evaluated by comparing its reaction to data from the Childes corpus, as well as by demonstrating the interpretation of novel utterances. Results seem to indicate that sensible utterances can be interpreted correctly, whereas non-sensible utterance get rejected as interpretation fails. Try to attach a meaning To words that you’ve heard Stumbling through the dark Seems I’m stumbling through the dark Everybody’s stumbling through the dark The men who proceeded us here Left only questions and fears [...] — from the album Rainy day music, The Jayhawks (2003)