The Growth Dynamics of Words: How Historical Context Shapes the Competitive Linguistic Environment

ORAL

Abstract

Using the massive Google n-gram database of over 10$^{11}$ word uses in English, Hebrew, and Spanish, we explore the connection between the growth rates of relative word use and the observed growth rates of disparate competing actors in a common environment such as businesses, scientific journals, and universities, supporting the concept that a language's lexicon is a generic arena for competition, evolving according to selection laws. We find aggregate-level anomalies in the collective statistics corresponding to the time of key historical events such as World War II and the Balfour Declaration.

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Authors

  • Joel Tenenbaum

    Center for Polmer Studies, Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA

  • Alexander Petersen

    IMT Lucca Institute for Advanced Studies, IMT Lucca Institute for Advanced Studies, Lucca 55100, Italy

  • Shlomo Havlin

    Minerva Center and Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel, Bar-Ilan University, Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel, Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Romat-Gan 52900, Israel, Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel, Mineva Center and Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University

  • H.Eugene Stanley

    Boston University, Center for Polmer Studies, Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA, Center for Polymer Studies and Dept of Physics, Boston University, Center for Polymer Studies and Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 USA, Center for Polymer Studies and Department of Physics, Boston University