The use and acquisition of artificial language: Some insights from psycholinguistics

Abstract

Several observations of artificial language use are presented, suggesting an analogy in cognitive processing between artificial and natural language use. This article stresses the value psycholinguistics has for building a cognitive model of the artificial language user. An account for the presented observations of artificial language use is given in terms of psycholinguistics, for example, common ground, the principle of optimal design, referring as a collaborative process, generalization, and incremental parallel production. Implications of the analogy are also described and involve specific, testable predictions about user behavior, as well as tentative design recommendations for future artificial language interfaces that adapt to the cognitive processes underlying the user's artificial language use.