I confused how memetics worksCould you share your knowledge?

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the concept of memetics, particularly its application to human language as a cultural replicator. The referenced article, "Human language as a culturally transmitted replicator" by Mark Page, highlights the parallels between biological evolution and linguistic evolution, emphasizing the use of statistical methods from phylogenetics to study language. It concludes that linguistic phylogenies provide valuable insights into human cultural history, often surpassing genetic estimations in relevance for anthropology and human behavioral ecology.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of memetics and its principles
  • Familiarity with phylogenetics and comparative biology
  • Knowledge of linguistic evolution and its metrics
  • Basic comprehension of cultural transmission theories
NEXT STEPS
  • Research "phylogenetic methods in linguistics" to explore statistical applications
  • Study "cultural replicators" to understand their role in memetics
  • Examine "comparative studies in anthropology" for insights into cultural evolution
  • Investigate "language evolution patterns" to identify social influences on linguistic change
USEFUL FOR

Researchers in linguistics, anthropologists, and anyone interested in the intersection of language and cultural evolution will benefit from this discussion.

todo
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I confused how memetics works..
Could you share your knowledge?
 
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todo said:
I confused how memetics works..
Could you share your knowledge?

This is a good example.

Nature Reviews Genetics 10, 405-415 (June 2009)

Human language as a culturally transmitted replicator by Mark Page

Human languages form a distinct and largely independent class of cultural replicators with behaviour and fidelity that can rival that of genes. Parallels between biological and linguistic evolution mean that statistical methods inspired by phylogenetics and comparative biology are being increasingly applied to study language. Phylogenetic trees constructed from linguistic elements chart the history of human cultures, and comparative studies reveal surprising and general features of how languages evolve, including patterns in the rates of evolution of language elements and social factors that influence temporal trends of language evolution. For many comparative questions of anthropology and human behavioural ecology, historical processes estimated from linguistic phylogenies may be more relevant than those estimated from genes.
http://www.nature.com/nrg/journal/v10/n6/abs/nrg2560.html
 

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