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Dissertations in Linguistics Ser.: Significance of Word Lists : Statistical Tests for Investigating Historical Connections Between Languages by Brett Kessler (2001, Hardcover)
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Many rules of thumb invoked by linguists in order to obviate chance resemblance, such as multilateral comparison and emphasizing grammar over vocabulary, are shown to actually decrease the power of quantitative tests.
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherCsli Publications/Center for T.H.E. Study of Language & Information
ISBN-101575862999
ISBN-139781575862996
eBay Product ID (ePID)1847098
Product Key Features
Number of Pages287 Pages
LanguageEnglish
Publication NameSignificance of Word Lists : Statistical Tests for Investigating Historical Connections Between Languages
SubjectLexicography, General, Linguistics / Historical & Comparative
Publication Year2001
TypeTextbook
Subject AreaMathematics, Language Arts & Disciplines
AuthorBrett Kessler
SeriesDissertations in Linguistics Ser.
FormatHardcover
Dimensions
Item Height0.8 in
Item Weight18.1 Oz
Item Length9 in
Item Width6 in
Additional Product Features
Edition Number73
Intended AudienceScholarly & Professional
LCCN00-069912
Dewey Edition21
TitleLeadingThe
Series Volume NumberVol. 20
IllustratedYes
Dewey Decimal417/.7
Table Of ContentPreface 1. Introduction 2. Statistical Methodology 3. Significance Testing 4. Tests in Different Environments 5. Size of the Word Lists 6. Precision and Lumping 7. Nonarbitrary Vocabulary 8. Historical Connection vs. Relatedness 9. Language-Internal Cognates 10. Recurrence Metrics 11. Conclusions Appendix: Word Lists References Index
SynopsisSimilar words for similar concepts turn up in many widely scattered languages. Some linguists insist that this is simply due to chance while others claim that many if not all of the world's languages descended from a single prehistoric language. Yet neither position in this strident controversy has been analyzed or supported with statistics. New computerized statistical techniques can help determine whether or not words in different languages have an ancestral connection. These flexible techniques are explained, broken into steps, and illustrated in a manner that provides the necessary principles to linguists with no background in statistics. This methodology measures the probabilistic significance of sound correspondences between short word lists. Many rules of thumb invoked by linguists in order to obviate chance resemblance, such as multilateral comparison and emphasizing grammar over vocabulary, are shown to actually decrease the power of quantitative tests. While the procedures presented here are straightforward, the author also details the extensive linguistic work needed to produce word lists that will not yield nonsensical results. Examples analyze the 200 words in 8 languages that are enumerated and detailed in an appendix.
LC Classification NumberP143.3.K47 2001
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