Capacity of Linguistic Communication Channels in Literary Texts: Application to Charles Dickens’ Novels

Abstract

In the first part of the article, we recall our general theory of linguistic channels—based on regression lines between deep language parameters—and study their capacity and interdependence. In the second part, we apply the theory to novels written by Charles Dickens and other authors of English literature, including the Gospels in the King James version of the Bible. In literary works (or in any long texts), there are multiple communication channels. The theory considers not only averages but also correlation coefficients. The capacity of linguistic channels is a Gaussian stochastic variable. The similarity between two channels is measured by the likeness index. Dickens’ novels show striking and unexpected mathematical/statistical similarity to the synoptic Gospels. The Pythagorean distance, defined in a suitable Cartesian plane involving deep language parameters, and the likeness index correlate with an inverse proportional relationship. A similar approach can be applied to any literary corpus written in any alphabetical language.