Interconnected words flowing into a brain

Unlock Efficiency: How 'Good Enough' Thinking Shapes Language

Beau Callahan in Mind & Education August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Explore the hidden shortcuts your brain takes when understanding and using language, and why aiming for 'perfect' isn't always the smartest move."

Have you ever wondered why certain sentences just 'sound right,' even if you can't explain the grammatical rules behind them? Or why languages evolve in particular ways? The answer may lie in a fascinating area of cognitive science called 'bounded rationality.' It suggests that our brains, rather than striving for perfection, often settle for solutions that are 'good enough.'

The concept of bounded rationality, championed by Nobel laureate Herbert Simon, recognizes that our minds have limited resources. We don't have infinite time or processing power to analyze every single possibility. Instead, we rely on shortcuts and heuristics – mental rules of thumb – to make quick and efficient decisions. This principle profoundly impacts how we use and understand language.

A groundbreaking study sheds light on how bounded rationality influences the structure of languages, specifically focusing on SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) languages like Japanese, Turkish, and Hindi. The research reveals a surprising strategy: speakers tend to prioritize the length of words or phrases closest to the verb, rather than exhaustively minimizing the length of the entire sentence. This 'least-effort' approach offers a new perspective on why languages are the way they are.

Dependency Length Minimization: The Quest for Efficiency

Interconnected words flowing into a brain

One of the core ideas in linguistics is Dependency Locality Theory (DLT). DLT suggests that our brains prefer to keep related words close together when we’re processing language. Think of it like keeping ingredients for a recipe within easy reach – it makes the whole process smoother. The shorter the 'dependencies' (the distance between related words), the easier it is for our minds to process sentences.

In languages where the verb comes at the end of the sentence (SOV languages), there's an interesting challenge: how do speakers arrange the words and phrases that come before the verb to minimize these dependencies? The traditional view suggests that speakers try to minimize the overall dependency length of the entire sentence.

Global Minimization: Imagine you're arranging furniture in a room to make it as easy as possible to move around. This is like minimizing the total dependency length of a sentence – you're aiming for the absolute best arrangement.
Local, 'Least-Effort' Strategy: Now, imagine you only focus on making sure the area right next to the doorway is clear. It might not be the perfect arrangement for the whole room, but it's a quick and effective way to ensure easy passage.

The study's findings support the 'least-effort' strategy. Speakers in SOV languages tend to prioritize keeping the words and phrases closest to the verb short and sweet. This doesn't necessarily guarantee the shortest possible dependencies for the entire sentence, but it's a remarkably efficient way to reduce the cognitive load right where it matters most.

The Big Picture: 'Good Enough' for Language, and for Life

This research offers a fascinating glimpse into the elegant shortcuts our brains take when dealing with language. It demonstrates that perfect optimization isn't always necessary – or even desirable. By prioritizing efficiency and focusing on what's most important, we can communicate effectively without getting bogged down in exhaustive calculations. This 'good enough' approach, rooted in bounded rationality, isn't just a linguistic phenomenon; it's a fundamental principle that shapes how we think, decide, and navigate the world.

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Everything You Need To Know

What is the core concept of 'bounded rationality' and how does it relate to language processing?

The core concept of 'bounded rationality,' as proposed by Nobel laureate Herbert Simon, suggests that our brains have limited resources and don't always strive for perfect solutions. Instead, we utilize shortcuts and heuristics to make quick and efficient decisions. In the context of language, this means we don't exhaustively analyze every possibility but instead use 'good enough' strategies to understand and produce language, prioritizing speed and efficiency over perfect grammatical accuracy. This is crucial for language comprehension and production, enabling us to process information quickly.

How does the 'least-effort' strategy, observed in SOV languages, challenge the traditional view of Dependency Locality Theory?

The 'least-effort' strategy, supported by recent research, reveals that speakers of SOV languages (like Japanese, Turkish, and Hindi) prioritize shortening the words and phrases *closest* to the verb, instead of minimizing the *overall* dependency length across the entire sentence. This contrasts with the traditional view that language users strive for 'Global Minimization', which would involve optimizing the arrangement of words to achieve the shortest dependencies possible throughout the sentence. The 'least-effort' approach, rooted in bounded rationality, suggests a more efficient, less computationally intensive method of language processing.

What are the key differences between 'Global Minimization' and the 'Local, Least-Effort' strategy in sentence structure?

'Global Minimization' in linguistics suggests that speakers strive to arrange words to achieve the shortest possible dependency length across the entire sentence, aiming for the 'absolute best' arrangement, similar to meticulously organizing furniture for optimal movement. In contrast, the 'Local, Least-Effort' strategy focuses on making the area *right next to the verb* as efficient as possible. Speakers employing this strategy prioritize reducing cognitive load where it matters most. This approach doesn't guarantee the shortest dependencies for the entire sentence but offers a remarkably efficient way to process language.

Can you explain how 'Dependency Locality Theory' (DLT) influences language processing, and how is it particularly relevant for languages like Japanese, Turkish, and Hindi?

Dependency Locality Theory (DLT) suggests that our brains prefer to keep related words close together during language processing to make it easier to understand. It's like keeping related ingredients of a recipe nearby. In SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) languages such as Japanese, Turkish, and Hindi, the verb appears at the end of the sentence. This creates a unique challenge: how do speakers arrange the words and phrases *before* the verb to minimize dependencies and ease processing? The research indicates that speakers of these languages tend to use a 'least-effort' approach, prioritizing the length of words or phrases closest to the verb to enhance comprehension.

How does the concept of 'good enough' thinking, stemming from 'bounded rationality', impact not just language, but also our broader cognitive processes and daily life?

The 'good enough' approach, rooted in 'bounded rationality', highlights that our brains often opt for efficient solutions rather than striving for perfection. This principle extends beyond language, influencing how we make decisions, solve problems, and navigate the world. Whether we're learning a new skill, making choices, or adapting to new situations, we often employ 'good enough' strategies. By prioritizing efficiency and focusing on what's most crucial, we can accomplish tasks effectively without becoming bogged down in exhaustive calculations. This approach is not only a linguistic phenomenon but a fundamental principle shaping how we think, decide, and experience life.