Ellis Cain
@ellscain.bsky.social
Newfangled words aren’t just for the young!
Read the full paper “Semantic Representations Are Updated Across the Lifespan Reflecting Diachronic Language Change” at: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
The new norms we collected and the full analysis pipeline are available through OSF: osf.io/q7j9n/overvi...
Read the full paper “Semantic Representations Are Updated Across the Lifespan Reflecting Diachronic Language Change” at: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
The new norms we collected and the full analysis pipeline are available through OSF: osf.io/q7j9n/overvi...
Semantic Representations Are Updated Across the Lifespan Reflecting Diachronic Language Change
Abstract. Humans learn the meanings of words from the contexts in which they are used. Patterns of language use change over time, suggesting that the contexts in which some words are experienced chang...
doi.org
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Newfangled words aren’t just for the young!
Read the full paper “Semantic Representations Are Updated Across the Lifespan Reflecting Diachronic Language Change” at: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
The new norms we collected and the full analysis pipeline are available through OSF: osf.io/q7j9n/overvi...
Read the full paper “Semantic Representations Are Updated Across the Lifespan Reflecting Diachronic Language Change” at: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
The new norms we collected and the full analysis pipeline are available through OSF: osf.io/q7j9n/overvi...
This suggests that meaning representations are continuously updated, regardless of age.
Even though older adults have experienced previous decades with older meanings, that history doesn’t weigh them down. We all rapidly adapt to the modern usage of language to coordinate with our community.
Even though older adults have experienced previous decades with older meanings, that history doesn’t weigh them down. We all rapidly adapt to the modern usage of language to coordinate with our community.
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
This suggests that meaning representations are continuously updated, regardless of age.
Even though older adults have experienced previous decades with older meanings, that history doesn’t weigh them down. We all rapidly adapt to the modern usage of language to coordinate with our community.
Even though older adults have experienced previous decades with older meanings, that history doesn’t weigh them down. We all rapidly adapt to the modern usage of language to coordinate with our community.
Taking a closer look at the relatedness ratings:
When judging “changed” words, both younger and older adults rated the 1990s neighbors as more related than the 1950s neighbors. Crucially, ratings were similar across groups: older adults didn’t show a preference for meanings they learned early on.
When judging “changed” words, both younger and older adults rated the 1990s neighbors as more related than the 1950s neighbors. Crucially, ratings were similar across groups: older adults didn’t show a preference for meanings they learned early on.
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Taking a closer look at the relatedness ratings:
When judging “changed” words, both younger and older adults rated the 1990s neighbors as more related than the 1950s neighbors. Crucially, ratings were similar across groups: older adults didn’t show a preference for meanings they learned early on.
When judging “changed” words, both younger and older adults rated the 1990s neighbors as more related than the 1950s neighbors. Crucially, ratings were similar across groups: older adults didn’t show a preference for meanings they learned early on.
Verdict? We found that older adults do not look like time capsules of past meanings in language.
In both studies, older adults’ semantic representations were best predicted by recent usage patterns (1990s), not the ones from their youth.
In both studies, older adults’ semantic representations were best predicted by recent usage patterns (1990s), not the ones from their youth.
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Verdict? We found that older adults do not look like time capsules of past meanings in language.
In both studies, older adults’ semantic representations were best predicted by recent usage patterns (1990s), not the ones from their youth.
In both studies, older adults’ semantic representations were best predicted by recent usage patterns (1990s), not the ones from their youth.
If the semantic structure of language is constantly shifting, what do older adults do?
If older adults retain earlier meanings, their semantic spaces should be more similar to when they were younger. If they update continuously, their spaces should look like the 1990s/2000s (like younger adults).
If older adults retain earlier meanings, their semantic spaces should be more similar to when they were younger. If they update continuously, their spaces should look like the 1990s/2000s (like younger adults).
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
If the semantic structure of language is constantly shifting, what do older adults do?
If older adults retain earlier meanings, their semantic spaces should be more similar to when they were younger. If they update continuously, their spaces should look like the 1990s/2000s (like younger adults).
If older adults retain earlier meanings, their semantic spaces should be more similar to when they were younger. If they update continuously, their spaces should look like the 1990s/2000s (like younger adults).
First, we verified that the "semantic structure" of language shifts enough within a lifespan to matter.
Using historical word embeddings, we found that English semantic structures measurably changed over the 20th century. Word relations in the 1990s are much more like the 1980s than the 1900s.
Using historical word embeddings, we found that English semantic structures measurably changed over the 20th century. Word relations in the 1990s are much more like the 1980s than the 1900s.
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
First, we verified that the "semantic structure" of language shifts enough within a lifespan to matter.
Using historical word embeddings, we found that English semantic structures measurably changed over the 20th century. Word relations in the 1990s are much more like the 1980s than the 1900s.
Using historical word embeddings, we found that English semantic structures measurably changed over the 20th century. Word relations in the 1990s are much more like the 1980s than the 1900s.
We explored this in two ways: 1) comparing meanings from historical word embeddings to word associations from people aged 20-90 y.o. 2) collecting relatedness ratings from 1,300+ adults (younger and older) for words that have and have not changed in meaning (e.g., “broadcast”).
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
We explored this in two ways: 1) comparing meanings from historical word embeddings to word associations from people aged 20-90 y.o. 2) collecting relatedness ratings from 1,300+ adults (younger and older) for words that have and have not changed in meaning (e.g., “broadcast”).
Tl;dr: Even though word meanings in language change over time, individuals across different age groups keep their representations up-to-date!
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
Semantic Representations Are Updated Across the Lifespan Reflecting Diachronic Language Change
Abstract. Humans learn the meanings of words from the contexts in which they are used. Patterns of language use change over time, suggesting that the contexts in which some words are experienced chang...
doi.org
January 2, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Tl;dr: Even though word meanings in language change over time, individuals across different age groups keep their representations up-to-date!
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1162/opmi...
We found that there were common scene compositions that accompanied naming events, parent naming followed a Zipfian distribution, and the cross-situational statistics were comparable to lab experiments. See our paper for more details!
June 19, 2025 at 6:27 PM
We found that there were common scene compositions that accompanied naming events, parent naming followed a Zipfian distribution, and the cross-situational statistics were comparable to lab experiments. See our paper for more details!
The preprint includes an OSF link to behavioral norms from relatedness judgments for words that have and have not changed over time, collected from two age groups (18-33 y.o. and 63-92 y.o.)!
July 5, 2024 at 8:57 PM
The preprint includes an OSF link to behavioral norms from relatedness judgments for words that have and have not changed over time, collected from two age groups (18-33 y.o. and 63-92 y.o.)!