Language Structures May Adapt to the Sociolinguistic Environment, but It Matters What and How You Count: A Typological Study of Verbal and Nominal Complexity

Frontiers in Psychology
Kaius Sinnemäki, Francesca Di Garbo

Abstract

In this article we evaluate claims that language structure adapts to sociolinguistic environment. We present the results of two typological case studies examining the effects of the number of native (=L1) speakers and the proportion of adult second language (=L2) learners on language structure. Data from more than 300 languages suggest that testing the effect of population size and proportion of adult L2 learners on features of verbal and nominal complexity produces conflicting results on different grammatical features. The results show that verbal inflectional synthesis adapts to the sociolinguistic environment but the number of genders does not. The results also suggest that modeling population size together with proportion of L2 improves model fit compared to modeling them independently of one another. We thus argue that surveying population size alone may be insufficient to detect possible adaptation of linguistic structure to the sociolinguistic environment. Rather, other features, such as proportion of L2 speakers, prestige and social network density, should be studied, and if demographic numeric data are used, they should not be used in isolation but rather in competition with other sociolinguistic features. We also sugg...Continue Reading

References

Jun 1, 1985·Journal of Child Language·R Mulford
Aug 11, 2000·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·T C GunterH Schriefers
Aug 11, 2004·Cognition·Fermín Moscoso del Prado MartínR Harald Baayen
Feb 11, 2005·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Horacio Barber, Manuel Carreiras
May 23, 2009·Behavioral Ecology : Official Journal of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology·Holger Schielzeth, Wolfgang Forstmeier
Jan 26, 2010·PloS One·Gary Lupyan, Rick Dale
Jan 10, 2014·Journal of Memory and Language·Dale J BarrHarry J Tily
Jan 22, 2015·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Caleb EverettSeán G Roberts
Mar 27, 2015·Methods in Ecology and Evolution·Paul Cd Johnson
Aug 27, 2015·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science·Kaius Sinnemäki
Oct 1, 2017·Nature Human Behaviour·Damián E BlasiMartin Haspelmath

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Mufian
GENDER
glmmADMB
AUTOTYP
WALS
lme4
R

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
Daniel Nettle
International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology
Haydée Carrasco-OrtízNicole Y Y Wicha
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved