Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T16:44:31.570Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A stochastic model of lexical change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2016

Annette J. Dobson
Annette J. Dobson*
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle, New South Wales
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A model is given to describe the concurrent evolution of vocabularies of different languages belonging to the same family. Lexical change involves the replacement of old words by new words acquired by inheritance, borrowing or some other form of innovation. This process is described by a set of simultaneous differential equations involving the probabilities that, at any time, languages share similar words for any particular meaning. Various special cases of the model are compared using data for some Indo-European languages.

Keywords

EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGESESTIMATION FOR STOCHASTIC MODELS
Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Applied Probability , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , March 1978 , pp. 38 - 45
Copyright
Copyright © Applied Probability Trust 1978 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brainerd, B. (1970) A stochastic process related to language change. J. Appl. Prob. 7, 69–78.Google Scholar
Dixon, R. M. W. (1972) The Dyirbal Language of North Queensland. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Dyen, I. (1964) On the validity of comparative lexicostatistics. Proc. Ninth International Congress of Linguists, 238–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fairbanks, G. H. (1955) A note on glottochronology. Internat. J. Amer. Linguistics 21, 116–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kruskal, J. B., Dyen, I. and Black, P. (1971) The vocabulary method of reconstructing language trees: innovations and large-scale applications. In Mathematics in the Archaeological and Historical Sciences, ed. Hodson, F. R., Kendall, D. G. and Tautu, P. Edinburgh University Press.Google Scholar
Sankoff, D. (1969) Historical Linguistics as Stochastic Process. , McGill University.Google Scholar
Sankoff, D. (1973) Mathematical developments in lexicostatistical theory. In Current Trends in Linguistics, Vol. 11, ed. Sebeok, T. A., Hoenigswald, H. M. and Longacre, R. E. Mouton, The Hague.Google Scholar
Swadesh, M. (1952) Lexicostatistic dating of prehistoric ethnic contacts. Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. 96, 452–463.Google Scholar