Linguistic Convergence and Areal Diffusion

Linguistic Convergence and Areal Diffusion
Author: Éva Ágnes Csató
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 396
Release: 2005
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780415308045

The volume in the field of Iranian, Semitic and Turkic contact linguistics, is the first of its kind, providing a summary of the present results of this dynamic field of research.

Areal Diffusion and Genetic Inheritance

Areal Diffusion and Genetic Inheritance
Author: Aleksandra I︠U︡rʹevna Aĭkhenvalʹd
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 476
Release: 2006
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780199283088

This book considers how and why forms and meanings of different languages at different times may resemble each other. Its distinguished authors investigate the relationship between areal diffusion and the genetic development of languages, and reveal the means of distinguishing what may cause one language to share the characteristics of another. The chapters cover Ancient Anatolia, Modern Anatolia, Australia, Amazonia, Oceania, Southeast and East Asia, and Sub-Saharan. Africa. - ;Two languages can resemble each other in the categories, constructions, and types of meaning they use; and in the fo.

Geographical Typology and Linguistic Areas

Geographical Typology and Linguistic Areas
Author: Osamu Hieda
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
Total Pages: 329
Release: 2011-01-26
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9027273952

Is Africa a linguistic area (Heine & Leyew 2008)? The present volume consists of sixteen papers highlighting the linguistic geography of Africa, covering, in particular, southern Africa with its Khoisan languages. A wide range of phenomena are discussed to give an overview of the pattern of social, cultural, and linguistic interaction that characterizes Africa's linguistic geography. Most contributors to the volume discuss language contact and areal diffusion in Africa, although some demonstrate, with examples from non-African linguistic data, including Amazonian and European languages, how language contact may lead to structural convergence. Others investigate contact phenomena in social-cultural behavior. The volume makes a large contribution toward bringing generalized theory to data-oriented discussions. It is intended to stimulate further research on contact phenomena in Africa. For sale in all countries except Japan. For customers in Japan: please contact Yushodo Co.

Dialect Change

Dialect Change
Author: Peter Auer
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 444
Release: 2005-06-17
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780521806879

Dialects are constantly changing, and due to increased mobility in more recent years, European dialects have 'levelled', making it difficult to distinguish a native of Reading from a native of London, or a native of Bonn from a native of Cologne. This comprehensive study brings together a team of leading scholars to explore all aspects of recent dialect change, in particular dialect convergence and divergence. Drawing on examples from a wide range of European countries - as well as areas where European languages have been transplanted - they examine a range of issues relating to dialect contact and isolation, and show how sociolinguistic conditions differ hugely between and within European countries. Each specially commissioned chapter is based on original research, giving an overview of work on that particular area and presenting case studies to illustrate the issues discussed. Dialect Change will be welcomed by all those interested in sociolinguistics, dialectology, the relevance of language variation to formal linguistic theories, and European languages.

Areal Linguistics within the Phonological Atlas of Europe

Areal Linguistics within the Phonological Atlas of Europe
Author: Thomas Stolz
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 694
Release: 2021-08-23
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 3110672731

In contrast to many other levels of language, there is as yet no comprehensive areal-linguistic description of the segmental phonological properties of the languages of Europe. To complement the synchronic picture of the languages of Europe, it is time to take stock of their phoneme inventories to provide an empirical basis for generalizations about the similarities and dissimilarities of the languages of Europe. The best way to visualize the areal phonology of Europe is that of the Phonological Atlas of Europe (Phon@Europe) which features the isoglosses of phonological phenomena on a plethora of maps. As a prequel to Phon@Europe, this study not only outlines the goals, methodology, sample, and theory of the project but also focuses on loan phonemes whose diffusion across the 210 doculects of the sample yields meaningful patterns. The patterns are indicative of recent processes of convergence which have transformed a diverse phonological mosaic into a superficially homogeneous linguistic area. The developments which have led to the present situation are traced back through the history of the sample languages.

From Linguistic Areas to Areal Linguistics

From Linguistic Areas to Areal Linguistics
Author: Pieter Muysken
Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
Total Pages: 308
Release: 2008
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9789027231000

From linguistic areas to areal linguistics explores language description and typology in terms of areal background, presenting case studies in areal linguistics. Some concern well-established linguistic areas such as the Balkan, other regions such as East Nusantara (Indonesia) and the Guapore-Mamore (Amazon) regions have never before been studied in an areal perspective, and yet other areas are involved in current debates. The insight has gained ground that languages owe many of their characteristics to the languages they are in contact with over time. Yet the nature of these areal influences remains a matter of debate. Furthermore, areas are often hard to define. Hence the title: a shift from linguistic areas as concrete and circumscribed objects to a new way of doing linguistics: areally. New findings include the observation that there may be many more language areas than previously recognized. The book is primarily directed at linguists working in descriptive, comparative, historical and typological linguistics. Since it covers linguistic areas from four continents, it will have a wide appeal.

The Cambridge Handbook of Areal Linguistics

The Cambridge Handbook of Areal Linguistics
Author: Raymond Hickey
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 1687
Release: 2017-04-20
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1316839451

Providing a contemporary and comprehensive look at the topical area of areal linguistics, this book looks systematically at different regions of the world whilst presenting a focussed and informed overview of the theory behind research into areal linguistics and language contact. The topicality of areal linguistics is thoroughly documented by a wealth of case studies from all major regions of the world and, with chapters from scholars with a broad spectrum of language expertise, it offers insights into the mechanisms of external language change. With no book currently like this on the market, The Cambridge Handbook of Areal Linguistics will be welcomed by students and scholars working on the history of language families, documentation and classification, and will help readers to understand the key area of areal linguistics within a broader linguistic context.

Linguistic Universals and Language Change

Linguistic Universals and Language Change
Author: Jeff Good
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2008-01-25
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0191538329

This book looks at the relationship between linguistic universals and language change. Reflecting the resurgence of work in both fields over the last two decades, it addresses two related issues of central importance in linguistics: the balance between synchronic and diachronic factors in accounting for universals of linguistic structure, and the means of distinguishing genuine aspects of a universal human cognitive capacity for language from regularities that may be traced to extraneous origins. The volume brings together specially commissioned work by leading scholars, including prominent representatives of generative and functional linguistics. It examines rival explanations for linguistic universals and assesses the effectiveness of competing models of language change. The authors investigate patterns and processes of grammatical and lexical change across a wide range of languages; they consider the degree to which common characteristics condition processes of change in related languages; and examine how far differences in linguistic outcomes may be explained by cultural or external factors. This book will interest the wide range of scholars in linguistics and related fields concerned with language change, historical linguistics, linguistic typology and universals, and the nature of the human language faculty

The Rise and Fall of Languages

The Rise and Fall of Languages
Author: Robert M. W. Dixon
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 180
Release: 1997-12-11
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780521626545

A different approach to the theories on language evolution and change.