In this paper we consider competition between two languages (where thereis also bilingualism) and try to formalise and explain its dynamic. By languagecompetition we mean simply competition for speakers. Simple evolutionary mod-els of language origins have emphasised the importance of co-operation withinsocial groups, as a pre-condition for the emergence of stable shared linguisticconventions. Here we explore the dynamics of changing group size and the stabil-ity of group membership when groups are defined by the possession of a sharedlanguage, and when groups with different languages come into contact and com-pete for members. We take an ecological approach, as promoted in linguistics byMufwene (Mufwene, 2002) and Nettle (Nettle, 1999) among others.
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