The Sound Systems of Languages Adapt, But to What Extent

Considerations of Typological, Diachronic and Mercurial Data

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3821583
AutoresCaleb Everett (0000-0002-5889-3935, University of Miami, autor de correspondencia)
Año2021
Volumen2
Número1
Páginas01-23
Fecha de publicación2021-04-20
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaCadernos de Linguística e Teoria da Literatura (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais) (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2675-4916 • E-ISSN: 2675-4916
EditorialAssociacao Brasileira de Linguistica (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.25189/2675-4916.2021.v2.n1.id342
OpenAlexW3156482650
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas53

The sound systems of the world's languages adapt to biomechanical, aerodynamic and cognitive pressures associated with sound production and discrimination. Such pressures help to yield the greater frequency of some sound types and the reduced frequency of others. In this paper I explore such adaptation, pointing out that sound systems not only adapt to such pressures in ways that are clear from a typological perspective, but that they adapt in more subtle ways that are only now becoming apparent. Furthermore, I survey a host of recent studies suggesting that sound systems likely adapt to some pressures that vary across populations and environments. While the extent of adaptation to such variable pressures is certainly debatable, the mere existence of phonetic/phonological adaptation to pressures that differ across populations is increasingly well supported. The evidence in support of such adaptation ranges from large-scale quantitative data, to biomechanical modeling, to the speech of Freddie Mercury

Acoustics · Cognitive psychology · Linguistics · Sound change · Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior · Computer Science · Language and cultural evolution · Music and Audio Processing · Neuroscience · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence