Correlational Studies in Typological and Historical Linguistics

Datos Bibliográficos

ID5776564
AutoresD Robert Ladd (University of Edinburgh), Seán G Robert (0000-0001-5990-9161, Max Planck Society), Dan Dediu (0000-0002-0704-6365, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics)
Año2014
Volumen1
Número1
Páginas221-241
Fecha de publicación2014-08-04
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAnnual Review of Linguistics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2333-9683 • E-ISSN: 2333-9691
EditorialAnnual Reviews (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1146/annurev-linguist-030514-124819
OpenAlexW2143035082
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas22
Referencias citadas108

We review a number of recent studies that have identified either correlations between different linguistic features (e.g., implicational universals) or correlations between linguistic features and nonlinguistic properties of speakers or their environment (e.g., effects of geography on vocabulary). We compare large-scale quantitative studies with more traditional theoretical and historical linguistic research and identify divergent assumptions and methods that have led linguists to be skeptical of correlational work. We also attempt to demystify statistical techniques and point out the importance of informed critiques of the validity of statistical approaches. Finally, we describe various methods used in recent correlational studies to deal with the fact that, because of contact and historical relatedness, individual languages in a sample rarely represent independent data points, and we show how these methods may allow us to explore linguistic prehistory to a greater time depth than is possible with orthodox comparative reconstruction

Linguistic universal · Problem of universals · Skepticism · Categorization, perception, and language · Language and cultural evolution · Linguistic Variation and Morphology