THE USE AND ACQUISITION OF ARTIFICIAL LANGUAGE - SOME INSIGHTS FROM PSYCHOLINGUISTICS

Several observations of artificial language use are presented, suggest ing an analogy in cognitive processing between artificial and natural language use. This article stresses the value psycholinguistics has fo r building a cognitive model of the artificial language user. An accou nt for the presented observations of artificial language use is given in terms of psycholinguistics, for example, common ground, the princip le of optimal design, referring as a collaborative process, generaliza tion, and incremental parallel production. Implications of the analogy are also described and involve specific, testable predictions about u ser behavior, as well as tentative design recommendations for future a rtificial language interfaces that adapt to the cognitive processes un derlying the user's artificial language use. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevi er Science Ltd