A hybrid model to investigate language change

In this paper we propose a hybrid multi-agent modelling framework which facilitates investigation into sound change by combining the sociophonetic model of Nettle [14] and the exemplarbased model of Wedel [21] into a single unified model. The framework facilitates simulation scenarios of different social networks with varying interaction schemes and social distances between the agents. Additionally, the structure of an individual agent’s mental lexicon is embedded in an exemplartheoretic setting. The goal of this modelling framework is to enable examination of competition between different phonetic forms. Though in no way limited to this particular example, we illustrate our new hybrid framework with the case of competition between phonetically intuitive /mb/ and unintuitive [mp] voicing variants of post-nasal stops in Tswana.