Measuring the Symbolic Power of Languages with LLM-based Multilingual Persuasion Simulation

AbstractPrior studies on the symbolic power of languages have largely relied on surveys or localized experiments, limiting systematic comparison across cultures and domains. In this work, we propose an LLM-based multilingual persuasion simulation framework to quantify the symbolic power of languages through persuasion outcomes. We also introduce a Symbolic Power Index (SPI) that measures how language choice affects persuasion success and efficiency across domains. Experiments show that the LLM-based simulations largely reproduce established sociolinguistic prestige hierarchies tied to institutional authority and global power, especially in domains such as business, finance, education, and technology. These results suggest that LLM-based persuasion simulations offer a scalable, decision-making-driven approach to studying symbolic power in language.