scholarly journals Bantu Lexical Reconstruction

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koen Bostoen ◽  
Yvonne Bastin
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Sound Change ◽  
Intermediate Step ◽  
Historical Overview ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Phonological Reconstruction ◽  
The Relationship

Lexical reconstruction has been an important enterprise in Bantu historical linguistics since the earliest days of the discipline. In this chapter a historical overview is provided of the principal scholarly contributions to that field of study. It is also explained how the Comparative Method has been and can be applied to reconstruct ancestral Bantu vocabulary via the intermediate step of phonological reconstruction and how the study of sound change needs to be completed with diachronic semantics in order to correctly reconstruct both the form and the meaning of etymons. Finally, some issues complicating this type of historical linguistic research, such as “osculance” due to prehistoric language contact, are addressed, as well as the relationship between reconstruction and classification.

A Pipeline for Computational Historical Linguistics

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Steiner ◽  
Michael Cysouw ◽  
Peter Stadler
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
South America ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetics ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Linguistic Data ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Lexical Data

AbstractThere are many parallels between historical linguistics and molecular phylogenetics. In this paper we describe an algorithmic pipeline that mimics, as closely as possible, the traditional workflow of language reconstruction known as the comparative method. The pipeline consists of suitably modified algorithms based on recent research in bioinformatics, which are adapted to the specifics of linguistic data. This approach can alleviate much of the laborious research needed to establish proof of historical relationships between languages. Equally important to our proposal is that each step in the workflow of the comparative method is implemented independently, so language specialists have the possibility to scrutinize intermediate results. We have used our pipeline to investigate two groups of languages, the Tsezic languages of the Caucasus and the Mataco-Guaicuruan languages of South America, based on the lexical data from the Intercontinental Dictionary Series (IDS). The results of these tests show that the current approach is a viable and useful extension to historical linguistic research.

scholarly journals A Szepes vármegyére vonatkozó középkori oklevelek filológiai tanulságai

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 81-108
Author(s):  
Róbert Kenyhercz
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Linguistic Study ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Ultimate Objective

Philological Findings from the Historical Linguistic Study of Medieval Charters from Szepes County My paper introduces the philological findings derived from the linguistic analy-sis of medieval charters for Szepes County. During the discussion of various fac-tors, my ultimate objective is to find out how the proper name data of the charters may be used for the purposes of research in historical linguistics and onomastics. Although the observations and hypotheses are based on the study of sources from Szepes specifically, I believe that the issues addressed in my paper also carry broader relevance and thus may be used both when interpreting remnants of char-ters and in the process of historical linguistic research based on these. Keywords: Szepes County, medieval charters, linguistic prestige, Latinization

scholarly journals Proto-Karen (*k-rjaƞA) Fauna

MANUSYA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 86-123
Author(s):  
Theraphan Luangthongkum
Keyword(s):  
Language Contact ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Vowel Harmony ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Semantic Fields ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
New Look

Even though the reconstruction of Proto- Karen has already been attempted and presented in different ways by a few linguists, some serious disagreements among them on some major points have been found. The research objective, here, is to offer a new look at the Proto-Karen phonology and lexicon. However, the emphasis of this paper is on the reconstruction of Proto-Karen fauna. A wordlist consisting of 2,000 items with English and Thai glosses divided into 21 sections based on semantic fields was devised. The data on the six Karenic languages spoken in Thailand, i.e. Pa-O (two varieties), Kayan, Kayah, Kayaw, Pwo (two varieties) and Sgaw (two varieties) was collected by the author at seven research sites in Thailand from January 2009 – January 2012. They represent Northern, Central and Southern Karen languages. The cognate words found in the Bwe Karen Dictionary (Henderson 1997) were added. To analyse the patterns of sound correspondence, the comparative method was applied with an awareness of areal linguistic features due to language contact. A Proto-Karen (*krjaƞ A) phonology and lexicon were reconstructed. With regard to the Proto- Karen phonology, the relationship between the onsets and tones is quite straightforward, so it is not difficult to reconstruct, unlike the rhymes which, in some cases, are problematical resulting from vowel harmony and the loss of final consonants. The 73 reconstructed forms of Proto-Karen animals are presented and the Proto-Karen tones, onsets and rhymes drawn from Proto-Karen Phonology and Lexicon (L-Thongkum, 2013, ms.) are provided in the Appendix.

Historical Linguistics

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane H. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Language Contact ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Historical Factors ◽  
Linguistic History ◽  
Dating Methods ◽  
History Of ◽  
Linguistic Methods

The Comparative Method in historical linguistics distinguishes resemblances among languages due to vertical transmission from those due to horizontal transmission, and from resemblances due to non-historical factors like chance. Alternative phylogenetic methods that seek long-range connections among languages have not been shown to consistently detect this distinction. Derived from the Comparative Method are the study of language contact and areal connections, lexicostatistical dating methods and linguistic-paleontological methods for reconstructing cultural knowledge. Methodological debates in historical linguistics, and application of these methods to cases in the linguistic history of the Southwest, are reviewed, suggesting that, in spite of the paucity of available data for many languages, historical linguistic methods have an important role to play in developing hypotheses about Southwestern prehistory.

Bloomfield and historical linguistics

1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 73-88
Author(s):  
Henry M. Hoenigswald
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
Morphological Change ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Sound Change ◽  
Linguistic Change

Summary Bloomfield worked in both historical and synchronic linguistics. To the former, he contributed: (1) a large amount of work in specific fields; (2) scrutiny of the nature of historical linguistic investigation; and (3) an analysis of the phenomenon of linguistic change. In his Language (1933), he did not narrate the procedures involved in synchronic investigation, nor did he set forth the steps to be followed in analysis. In his exposition of the results of diachronic linguistics, his approach was one of respect and admiration for the achievements of nineteenth-century historical linguistics. Since he accepted the (often disputed) postulate of the regularity of sound-change, he defended it by indirect persuasion in setting forth the arguments by which it is confirmed. His view of the causation of phonological and morphological change is interpreted as an anticipation of later sociolinguistics. In so doing, he restated his predecessors’ and his own insights, thereby rescuing them from the ministrations of their would-be defenders.

Development and Strata Analysis of Shan She Unrounded Cognates in Proto-Min

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-238
Author(s):  
Rui-Wen Wu
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Sound Change ◽  
The Other ◽  
Grade Ii ◽  
Vowel Contrast ◽  
Final System

Norman (1980) proposed a complete proto-Min final system for the collquial strata of Min Languages. Based on Norman’s system, I review the fianls about the Shan She unroubed cognates and suggest some modification. In this paper, I increase the materail of Min languages and reconstruct the proto forms of daughter languages of Min by used the comparative method strictly. I also indicate the differnent strata of the collquial strata in proto-Min fianls. Form the viewpoint of historical linguistics, Proto-Min finals of Shan She unrouded cognates include two strata: one is from Chin-Han period and the other Six Dynasity period. The obvious characteristic of Chin-Han Stratum of proto-Min is that Shan She unrouded Grade II and IV was merged and undergone a particular sound change: metathesis. The characteristic of Six Dynasity stratum is that either Shan She unrouded Garde III or IV have a medial constituent and the vowel contrast between Garde III and IV is preserved which is the phonological characteristic of Jiang Dong dialect of Six Dynasity period.

Stop codas in Old Chinese and Proto Sino-Tibetan

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenqing Song
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Method ◽  
Sound Change ◽  
Structural Description ◽  
Old Chinese ◽  
Loan Words ◽  
Change Mechanism ◽  
World Languages ◽  
Diffusion Analysis ◽  
Lexical Diffusion ◽  
Phonological Reconstruction

Reconstruction studies of Old Chinese (OC hereafter) and Proto Sino-Tibetan (PST hereafter) have yielded numerous significant discoveries related to the phonological histories of these two ancient languages. Despite recent advancements into OC and PST phonological histories, a few mysteries remain yet unsolved. One such mystery, the ‘stop coda’ problem, is as hotly debated now as it was when it was first raised seventy years ago. This long-running debate focuses on the existence and identity of the ‘stop codas’ in OC and in its parent language, PST. One reason why this debate has failed to reach a satisfactory conclusion is that the reconstruction methodology is limited, which assumes the Neogrammarian law of sound change. This law holds that sound change occurs without exception in every form that meets the structural description. Although this law applies to many sound changes in myriad world languages, it is not the only possible pathway of sound change. In this paper, I will argue that the key to the ‘stop-coda’ problem of OC belongs to another sound change type — lexical diffusion. The organization of the paper is as follows. In Part One, I will introduce the background of the debate over the ‘stop codas’ in OC. Part Two reviews previous opposing analyses of the ‘stop coda’ debate. Part Three details my proposal for a lexical diffusion analysis of the ‘stop coda’ problem based on internal evidence in Chinese. Part Four investigates the problem using the Comparative Method based on external evidence from Tibetan and loan words from Chinese to Sino-Japanese. In Part Five, I will present my solution to the ‘stop coda’ problem, which is based on the analysis in the two preceding sections. Finally, in Part Six, I will discuss the general methodology of phonological reconstruction in light of the sound change mechanism.

scholarly journals Serbian historical linguistics at the beginning of the 21st century

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 163-205
Author(s):  
Slobodan Pavlovic
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
Linguistic Typology ◽  
Research Orientation ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Language Studies

The article provides an overview of the key theoretical, methodological and thematic approaches applied in Serbian historical language studies at the beginning of the 21st century. This is a time in which alongside the philological and (or) structural linguistic research orientation, there are also explanatory studies conducted within the framework of cognitive linguistics and linguistic typology. While philological and structural linguistic descriptions may ask what happened in a language, explanatory (cognitive and typological) studies seek to ask why and how something happened. Explanatory historical linguistic studies, therefore, set out to explain the causes and mechanisms of language changes.

WRITER’S INDIVIDUALITY IN THE LITERARY INTERPRETATION OF SOCIAL AND MORAL PROBLEMS

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Bakhodir Kholikov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Method ◽  
Literary Interpretation ◽  
Moral Problems ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Mario Puzo

The article examines the question of writer’s individuality in the literary interpretation of social and moral problems etective novels on the examples of works "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo and "Shaytanat" by Tahir Malik. The article focuses on the study of the relationship between the reality of a work and reality of life in the context of the period. The comparative method was used in the process of understanding the content of these works, created in different periods

‘... Call the Mute Artifacts to Speech’: New Essays on the History of Archeology

2018 ◽  
pp. 1274-1279
Author(s):  
Elena V. Olimpieva ◽  
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
Historical Overview ◽  
Historical Experience ◽  
Historical Material ◽  
Manuscript Tradition ◽  
History Of ◽  
Publication Practices ◽  
Controversial Nature

The article reviews O. A. Shashkova’s ‘... Call the Mute Artifacts to Speech.’ Essays on the History of Archaeography of the 15th - Early 20th Century. Wide array of sources and broad geographical frameworks allow Shashkova to present emergence and development of Russian and European archaeography from the 15th to early 20th century intelligibly enough for educational purposes. A whole chapter is devoted to the manuscript tradition and publishing of sources before Gutenberg. When considering the formation of archaeographical tradition, the author uses comparative method. O. A. Shashkova offers a historical overview and analyzes theoretical and practical issues of archaeography. The reviewer notes the significance of the chosen topic due to a need to reconsider the development of publishing in light of modern views on archaeography and to make it accessible to students and non-professionals. She notes traditional academic approach of O. A. Shashkova to presentation of the development publication practices. The review considers the possibility of using the ‘Essays...’ in studying the history of archaeography and offers possible directions for a broader consideration of historical experience, in particular, of Novikov’s publication projects. The review notes the controversial nature of the author’s approach to systematization of her large historical material in order to consider issues concerning the study of archaeographical practices. It stresses that coverage of issues of development of methods of preparation of publications separately from its historical and practical aspects hinders successful mastering of the material by an untrained reader. It concludes that the publication has high practical value for specialists in archaeography and students.

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