Institut Jean Nicod

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Didier Démolin (Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle)

Dans le cadre des conférences LINGUAE 2015

Didier Démolin (Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle)
Professeur des universités. Phonétique, phonologie, production et perception. Evolution du langage. Ethnomusicologie

Vendredi 4 décembre 2015 de 11h30 à 13h30 dans le cadre du colloquium de l'Institut Nicod. ENS, 29, rue d'Ulm, Salle Prestige 1.

Dynamics and diversity of sound systems in human languages

Human languages ​​sound systems (phonetics and phonology) incorporate many dimensions: biological, physical and cognitive. As time and coordination of elements play a crucial role, this leads to evaluate the behavior of these systems as dynamic and complex. The dynamic aspects are highlighted by processing sound change in the same way that the physical concept of multistationarity in physics and cellular differentiation in biology. When the mechanisms that are the source of phonetic changes are implemented and categorized they can be regarded as state changes. The inherent variability of speech is the source from which sound change emerge. The propagation of changes in phonological systems (considered as population units) may be considered with the logistic equation that can describe the dynamic behavior of phonological systems. Sources of variability of human languages ​​sound systems are rarely considered. Yet they are one reason for the diversity of sound systems of human languages. The interaction with non-linguistic factors and processes shed light on some observable patterns of phonetic and phonological diversity.


CNRS EHESS ENS ENS