How Two People in the Past Can Learn to Communicate With Each Other Using a Third Language

Two individuals, each speaking completely different languages and lacking any knowledge about each other's language could learn to communicate through a gradual, multistep process which includes non-verbal communication, building a pidgin language, and eventually creating a Creole language. This process, while presently not as often utilized due to advancements in technology, remains a key facet of cross-cultural communication. 1. Non-Verbal Communication Initially, the most obvious method is through non-verbal communication – pointing, gesturing, using facial expressions, and drawing. This could be seen as the fundamental layer of the communication process. For example, pointing to a rock, then miming the action of throwing, could communicate intent prior to linguistic understanding. However, effective communication through this could take a long time and is poorly suited for complex, abstract ideas. 2. Building a Pidgin Language Over time, if contact continues, a simplified language known as a pidgin may develop. A pidgin language usually has limited vocabulary and simplified grammar. The vocabulary often includes a combination of words from both languages, but uses the grammar of the more dominant language (sometimes with simplified rules). The pidgin language allows more complex communication and would often develop in situations of prolonged contact such as trade or colonization. For a data scientist interested in modeling this process, the development of a pidgin could be analogized to a Markov decision process. In this process, the current state (the existing vocabulary and grammar rules) are used to decide the next state (additional vocabulary words or more complex grammar rules). However, these decisions are not deterministic and depend on the reaction of the other speaker, analogous to the probabilistic nature of state changes in a Markov decision process. 3. Creating a Creole Language With sustained contact and as generations pass, this pidgin could evolve into a Creole language – a stable natural language with a fully developed vocabulary and grammar system. This language becomes a mother tongue for its speakers, unlike a pidgin which is no one's first language. From a linguistic perspective, major theoretical issues come into play in the transition from pidgin to Creole. For instance, the idea of 'grammaticalization' and Chomsky's theories of Universal Grammar and the innate predisposition to develop complex grammar systems. From a data science perspective, this is the process where machine learning comes into its own. For instance, unsupervised learning algorithms (like clustering) could mimic the process of developing new words or grammar rules. Reinforcement learning could also come into play, as speakers receive positive or negative feedback in the effective or ineffective communication of their ideas. In sum, this is a fascinating intersection of linguistic and data science. The process not only involves the evolution of communication systems but also touches on concepts in the field of psychology, sociology, history, and computer science as we attempt to model and understand this uniquely human process.