The "handedness" of language: Directional symmetry breaking of sign usage in words

09/30/2015

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by   Md Izhar Ashraf, et al.

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Using large written corpora for many different scripts, we show that the occurrence probability distributions of signs at the left and right ends of words have a distinct heterogeneous nature. Characterizing this asymmetry using quantitative inequality measures, we show that the beginning of a word is less restrictive in sign usage than the end. The asymmetry is also seen in undeciphered inscriptions and we use this to infer the direction of writing which agrees with archaeological evidence. Unlike traditional investigations of phonotactic constraints which focus on language-specific patterns, our study reveals a property valid across languages and writing systems. As both language and writing are unique aspects of our species, this universal signature may reflect an innate feature of the human cognitive phenomenon.