I propose a novel Ising-like model of language evolution. In a simple way, Ising-like models represent the countervailing tendencies towards convergence and change present in language evolution. In the ordinary Ising-model, a node on a graph, in this case representing a language speaker, interacts with all its neighbors. In contrast, in the model proposed here, a node only interacts with the neighboring node whose state-vector is most similar to its own. This reflects the tendency of people to interact with others who speak a similar language. Unlike the ordinary Ising model, which tends towards language continua, this new model allows language boundaries.

翻译：本文提出一种新颖的类伊辛语言演化模型。该模型以简洁的方式再现了语言演化中趋同与演变两种对立倾向的角力。在标准伊辛模型中，图上的节点（此处代表语言使用者）会与其所有邻居发生相互作用。与之相对，本文提出的模型中，节点仅与状态向量最相似的邻居节点发生相互作用，这反映了人们倾向于与使用相似语言者进行交流的现实规律。与趋向于形成语言连续统的标准伊辛模型不同，本模型允许语言边界的产生。