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Robert K. Colwell

Museum Curator Adjoint in Entomology


robertkcolwell [at] gmail.com


Museum of Natural History

University of Colorado

Boulder, CO 80309, USA




robertkcolwell [at] gmail.com


Museum of Natural History

University of Colorado

Boulder, CO 80309, USA



Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Linguistic Diversity


Journal article


M. Gavin, C. Botero, Claire Bowern, R. K. Colwell, M. Dunn, R. Dunn, R. Gray, K. Kirby, J. McCarter, Adam Powell, T. Rangel, J. Stepp, Michelle Trautwein, J. Verdolin, G. Yanega
2013

Semantic Scholar DOI
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Cite

APA   Click to copy
Gavin, M., Botero, C., Bowern, C., Colwell, R. K., Dunn, M., Dunn, R., … Yanega, G. (2013). Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Linguistic Diversity.


Chicago/Turabian   Click to copy
Gavin, M., C. Botero, Claire Bowern, R. K. Colwell, M. Dunn, R. Dunn, R. Gray, et al. “Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Linguistic Diversity” (2013).


MLA   Click to copy
Gavin, M., et al. Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Linguistic Diversity. 2013.


BibTeX   Click to copy

@article{m2013a,
  title = {Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Linguistic Diversity},
  year = {2013},
  journal = {},
  author = {Gavin, M. and Botero, C. and Bowern, Claire and Colwell, R. K. and Dunn, M. and Dunn, R. and Gray, R. and Kirby, K. and McCarter, J. and Powell, Adam and Rangel, T. and Stepp, J. and Trautwein, Michelle and Verdolin, J. and Yanega, G.}
}

Abstract

Our species displays remarkable linguistic diversity. Although the uneven distribution of this diversity demands explanation, the drivers of these patterns have not been conclusively determined. We address this issue in two steps: First, we review previous empirical studies whose authors have suggested environmental, geographical, and sociocultural drivers of linguistic diversification. However, contradictory results and methodological variation make it difficult to draw general conclusions. Second, we outline a program for future research. We suggest that future analyses should account for interactions among causal factors, the lack of spatial and phylogenetic independence of the data, and transitory patterns. Recent analytical advances in biogeography and evolutionary biology, such as simulation modeling of diversity patterns, hold promise for testing four key mechanisms of language diversification proposed here: neutral change, population movement, contact, and selection. Future modeling approaches should also evaluate how the outcomes of these processes are influenced by demography, environmental heterogeneity, and time.


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