SUBJECT: &NAME language evolution volume ( &NAME conference ) Dear &NAME contributor , As I 've noted in earlier correspondence with you , I would like each paper in the volume to contain useful cross-references to other related papers in the book ( assuming that there are other relevant papers ) . To that end , I 'm writing to suggest that you each make available to the other people on this list your contribution to the evolang . volume . I hope and assume that you are currently revising your paper , so I feel it makes sense for you to distribute it as soon as you have a revised version that people could look at . I 'll leave you each to decide on the best way to do this , but would ask firstly that you undertake to distribute your paper in some way , for instance by sending round an attachment . ( This list contains only papers that I consider to be related in some way ( &NUM in total ) , so I 've already taken some of the work out of the procedure . ) Secondly , I ask that you undertake to look at the contributions so received , and refer to them ( as ' &NAME , this volume ' ) where there are interesting relevant points of overlap or controversy , agreement or dispute . Here , I summarise briefly the contents / key words of the papers on the list ( with apologies to anyone I 've misrepresented - please let me know ! ) : &NAME &NAME , &NAME &NAME ; &NAME &NAME : ' Cultural selection for learnability : &NUM hypotheses concerning the characteristic structure of language ' . ( the relation between language universals and any cognitive basis for language is opaque ; languages themselves adapt to survive by adapting to be learnable ; computational models : iterated learning models ) &NAME &NAME : ' &NAME of the language faculty and language ( &CHAR ) with decorrelated encodings ' . ( a correlated simulation model ; genetic assimilation ; protolanguage as learnable without a specific language faculty - can be culturally transmitted ) &NAME &NAME , &NAME &NAME , &NAME &NAME , &NAME &NAME : ' Evolution of language diversity : the survival of the fitness ' . ( Although the assumption that language increases human evolutionary fitness is intuitively appealing , its validity needs to be examined in the light of the indications that a coherent language can emerge in the absence of language-related fitness , e.g. , through a combination of genetic drift and random population diffusion ; computer modelling ) &NAME &NAME , &NAME &NAME , &NAME &NAME : ' Acquisition and evolution of natural languages : &NUM puzzles for the price of one ' . ( simulations charting the emergence and stability of irregularities across &NUM generations of artificial simplicity-based learners using a rudimentary language ; the stability of irregularities in lg . ; &NAME 's Paradox . ) &NAME &NAME : ' Meaning coordination and communicative success ' ( most previous simulations of lg . evolution avoid the problem of learning meanings ; this investigates instead the emergence of communication systems without innate or transferable meanings ) . &NAME &NAME : ' Simulating the evolution of a grammar for case ' ( presents a multi-agent model in which steps towards the evolution of a grammar for case are simulated . Grammar is seen as an evolving adaptive system that is shaped and negotiated by the agents as they optimise communication . ) Please let me know if there are any problems or other matters that I can help with . I do n't think that it 's going to be particularly helpful to me to be included in the ongoing correspondence at this stage , so I 'd be grateful if you 'd delete my address from further exchanges whilst this cross-referencing process is going on . Thanks . Best &NAME Dr. &NAME &NAME Review Editor , Journal of &NAME &NAME : &NUM ( &NUM ) &NUM &NUM &NUM Department of Linguistics fax : &NUM ( &NUM ) &NUM &NUM &NUM University of &NAME ( &EMAIL ) &NAME &NAME &WEBSITE &NAME &NAME &NAME &NAME 