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From: elna@netcom.com (Esperanto League N America)
Subject: Game Theory re: Language choice 
Message-ID: <elnaE2qD5F.8vo@netcom.com>
Organization: Esperanto League for North America, Inc.
References: <4el8tf$a3v@chleuasme.francenet.fr> <850572780.17014@dejanews.com> <elnaE2n0Lt.8Ft@netcom.com> <59bjmg$hgk@netnews.upenn.edu>
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 21:03:15 GMT
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Sender: elna@netcom4.netcom.com

hughett@galton.psycha.upenn.edu (Paul Hughett) writes in a recent posting (reference <59bjmg$hgk@netnews.upenn.edu>):
>Miko Sloper of the Esperanto League N America (elna@netcom.com) wrote:
>
>: Reinhard Selten shows how game theory demonstrates that the advantage of
>: native speakers of the ruling language leads to a short-term gain, but
>: a long-term loss. This of course includes the notion that the various
>: players act rationally...
>
>Could you post or Email a complete citation, please; I'd like to read
>this article.  My own immediate opinion is that it will depend on so
>many other factors that it would be impossible to give a definite answer.
>
The article is called "The Distribution of Foreign Language Skills as a
Game Equilibrium" by Reinhard Selten & Jonathon Pool. It is published &
distributed by the U. of Washington Interdisciplinary Research Committee
on Language and Society. The paper is # LD9 (1990) in the series called
"Linguistic Decisions".  (206) 543 3920 is the phone # of the Center
for the Humanities which handles distribution.  BTW Professor Selten
received a Nobel Prize a few years ago (1994?) for his work applying
game theory in economics.


-- 
Miko SLOPER              elna@netcom.com              USA  (510) 653 0998
Direktoro de la          ftp.netcom.com:/pub/el/elna   fax (510) 653 1468 
Centra Oficejo de la     Learn Esperanto! Free lessons: e-mail/snail-mail
Esperanto-Ligo de N.A.   Write to above address or call 1-888-2-ESPERANTO
