Startseite Typological bottlenecks: How large-scale regional language typologies help us interpret global prehistory
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Typological bottlenecks: How large-scale regional language typologies help us interpret global prehistory

  • Roger Blench EMAIL logo
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 23. Dezember 2016

Abstract

It is unlikely that local or highly specific typological characteristics of language correlate with other aspects of human culture and history. However, at regional scale, the broad typology of languages does reflect bottlenecks. The paper argues that these regions of high typological similarity are due neither to chance nor long-term convergence, but reflect the initial conditions of settlement. This suggests that regions can be characterised by negative typology, i.e., the absence of globally common traits. Conversely, typological uniformity occurs in mainland Southeast Asia, a region notable for the similarities between language structures. An expansion of the remit of typology can uncover large regional patterns which can be tied to the archaeological narrative of the early expansion of modern humans.

Acknowledgements

This paper was prepared at the request of the editor of LT, Frans Plank. Thanks to Malcolm Ross and an anonymous referee for suggestions for this revised version.

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Received: 2016-4-7
Revised: 2016-9-22
Published Online: 2016-12-23
Published in Print: 2016-12-1

©2016 by De Gruyter Mouton

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