Title is: Natural Language Equilibrium: Signaling Games

Abstract. We refine sequential equilibrium in signaling games by incorporating natural language in the form of meaningful cheap talk directly into the theory. Because meaning in any language can be usurped by equilibrium conventions to the contrary, the import of natural language in games must stem from how meaning is assigned to language used off the path of play. We find that a simple and intuitive convention about the players’ common understanding of language off-path has surprising power to refine sequential equilibrium in signaling games.