Learning Foreign Languages. Theoretical and Empirical Implications of the Selten and Pool Model
20 Pages Posted: 22 Jul 2005
Date Written: March 2005
Abstract
In this paper, we adopt the Selten-Pool model (1993) framework of language acquisition that is based on the notion of communicative benefits and learning costs. We consider a model with languages that serve as imperfect substitutes and show that under supermodularity of the communicative benefits function and some other mild conditions, there exists a unique interior linguistic equilibrium. We then derive a demand function for foreign languages that we estimate for English, French, German and Spanish in 13 European countries.
Keywords: Languages, communicative benefits, learning costs, linguistic distances, estimation of demand functions for languages, European Union
JEL Classification: C72, O52, Z13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation