Tradition and Evolution in Song Style

A Reanalysis of Cantometric Data

Datos Bibliográficos

ID5771209
AutoresEdwin E Erickson (Edwin E. Erickson (Ph.D., Columbia University) is presently Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Virginia, autor de correspondencia)
Año1976
Volumen11
Número4
Páginas277-308
Fecha de publicación1976-11-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBehavior Science Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0094-3673
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/106939717601100403
OpenAlexW2080285636
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas13
Referencias citadas7

This paper reports the results of a reanalysis, using multivariate tech niques, of song-style data reported by Alan Lomax and his associates over the past decade. Lomax et al. have framed out an elaborate case for a causal connection between general cultural evolution and various fea tures of song style, such as text wordiness and melodic embellishment, as measured by the cantometric coding system. In the present paper, certain of these hypotheses are tested with models which include explicit vari ables of societal location. The results of these tests provide considerable support for a diffusional-historic, as opposed to a functional-evolutionary, explanation of song-style variance. On the other hand, certain of Lomax's hypotheses relating vocul qualities to the degree of pi-eiiiat-ital sexual free dom per society received at least moderate support

Melody · Categorization, perception, and language · Language and cultural evolution