The Adaptive Value of Languages: Non-Linguistic Causes of Language DiversityAntonio Benítez-Burraco, Steven Moran Frontiers Media SA, Nov 8, 2018 The goal of this eBook is to shed light on the non-linguistic causes of language diversity, and in particular, to explore the possibility that some aspects of the structure of languages may result from an adaptation to the natural and/or human-made environment. Traditionally, language diversity has been claimed to result from random, internally-motivated changes in language structure. However, ongoing research suggests instead that different factors that are external to language can promote language change and ultimately account for aspects of language diversity, specifically features of the social and physical environments. The contributions in this eBook discuss whether some aspects of languages are an adaptation to ecological, social, or even technological niches. |
Contents
The Adaptive Value of Languages Nonlinguistic Causes of Language Diversity | 5 |
Why Dont Languages Adapt to Their Environment? | 10 |
Robust Causal and Incremental Approaches to Investigating Linguistic Adaptation | 20 |
Addressing NonGaussian Distributions Nonindependent Observations and Nonlinear Predictors With Random Effects and Generalized Additive Mod... | 41 |
Sonority and Temperature | 62 |
Languages in Drier Climates Use Fewer Vowels | 70 |
Nonlinguistic Conditions for Causativization as a Linguistic Attractor | 85 |
A Test Across IndoEuropean Austronesian and Bantu Languages | 99 |
A Typological Study of Verbal and Nominal Complexity | 117 |
Sociolinguistic Typology and Sign Languages | 139 |
Blues in Two Different SpanishSpeaking Populations | 147 |
A Cautionary Note | 156 |
Recursive Combination Has Adaptability in Diversifiability of Production and Material Culture | 161 |
Back Cover | 178 |