Linguistic Typology Research Articles

The place of Bulgarian and Russian in post-Talmian motion event typology: A Holistic Spatial Semantics Analysis

ABSTRACT The traditional Talmian binary typology of satellite-framed vs. verb-framed languages has proven to be insufficient for showing the diversity across the world’s languages. One approach within post-Talmian motion typology follows Holistic Spatial Semantics, which has been applied to languages like Swedish, French, Thai and Telugu, but not to Slavic languages. This motivates the present research. We used “frog stories” and analysed translocative motion event descriptions, given by nine native speakers of Russian and seven of Bulgarian, all adults. The descriptions were first segmented into clauses and each clause was analysed with respect to the key categories of Path, Direction, Region and Manner. The results show that the two languages pattern differently, most significantly in the expression of Path and Manner. We conclude that Russian shares features of languages like Telugu by encoding Path by case markers, and features of languages as Swedish, through a predominance of Manner verbs. Bulgarian differs typologically from Russian by lacking cases and using motion verbs, either to express Path, similarly to French, or to express Manner, similarly to Swedish. These findings show that Slavic languages should not be simplistically placed within a single type and provide additional support for Holistic Spatial Semantics.

Thinking-for-audio-describing: motion events in the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

ABSTRACT This study examines motion events in the English and Spanish audio-described versions of the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, pursuing two main research questions. First, to determine the ways in which linguistic typology and factors inherent to audio description (AD) have a combined impact on the lexicalization of motion events in the product of AD. Second, to identify the distinct features of the Thinking-for-audio-describing phenomenon. The preliminary results confirm the hypothesized impact mainly in terms of the expression of manner in the Spanish AD, and identify a series of compensations for Thinking-for-audio-describing through acoustic elements.

Linguistics: from the science of human language to its disciplines and applications

Linguistics is the science that studies human language in all its forms, focusing on the structure, evolution, and functions of languages. This article provides an overview of the various branches of linguistics, such as phonetics, phonology, lexicology, grammar (morphology and syntax), semantics, pragmatics, as well as more specialized fields like cognitive linguistics, paralinguistics, and psycholinguistics. It also discusses the historical developments of the discipline, including the emergence of major linguistic schools and the development of applied linguistics in the 20th century, influenced by technological advances. Finally, it describes several sub-disciplines, such as comparative linguistics, linguistic typology, and dialectology, which allow for the analysis of languages through different synchronic and diachronic perspectives. This analysis highlights the importance of linguistics in understanding language and human communication across time and space.

Classification of Speech Sounds in English

The classification of speech sounds is a fundamental aspect of phonetics, the branch of linguistics that deals with the physical properties of speech. This study explores the systematic categorization of speech sounds into consonants, vowels, and suprasegmentals based on their articulatory, acoustic, and perceptual characteristics. Speech sounds are classified according to distinctive features such as place of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing for consonants, and height, backness, and roundness for vowels. Additionally, the analysis incorporates suprasegmental features like pitch, stress, and intonation, which play a crucial role in conveying meaning and emotion. The classification framework emphasizes both theoretical models and practical applications in areas such as speech recognition, language acquisition, clinical phonetics, and linguistic typology. By examining the various approaches to sound categorization, this paper highlights the complexities involved in distinguishing between phonemes and non-phonemic variations, offering a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying speech production, perception, and variation across languages. The study also addresses the challenges posed by dialectal variation, coarticulation effects, and sound change, thus providing insight into the dynamic and evolving nature of speech sound classification.

The Interlingual Equivalence and Cognitive Representation of the Ethnocultural Identity of Numerical Phraseological Units in the Kazakh and English Languages

The global equivalence of speech and cultures plays a crucial role in typological linguistics and cross-cultural communication, forming the basis for studying numeral phraseological units from linguistic perspectives. This study analyses numeral idioms within Kazakh and English phraseological units, utilizing generalization, descriptive, and comparative methods. The findings highlight the distinct origins of concepts underlying Kazakh and English numerical phraseological words, leading to diverse classifications and perceptions. Both languages’ phraseological units with numerical elements feature significant morphosyntactic fixation and semantic idiomaticity, conveying global meaning in context. The development of numeral phraseology within equivalence and identity is shaped by culture-dependent mental structures. The cultural fusion in Kazakh and English reflects open and pluralistic affiliations. Despite ethnic strengthening and identity assertion, Turkic languages experience “linguistic extinction,” evident in limited usage of proverbs, expressions, and folk phraseological units. The study offers practical value for linguists, ethno-linguists, and related experts in various fields.

Verb-Verb Construction in Bugis Language: A Linguistic Typology Approach

This study examines the formation of serial verbs in the Bugis Bone language utilizing a qualitative descriptive approach and typological analysis. Data were collected by observation, including audio recordings of Bugis speakers’ direct talk, and supplemented by interviews for contextual comprehension. The assessment focused on language structures, and identifying patterns and distributions of lexemes and phrases. The results demonstrate that Bugis serial verbs align with the worldwide typology of serial verbs, consisting of four syntactic categories and six semantic categories: movement, directional, manner, cause-effect, comitative, modality, and aspect. This work is significant for its contribution to linguistic typology, providing insights into the universal elements of serial verb formations and the distinct qualities of the Bugis Bone language. The results have ramifications for the comprehensive understanding of Austronesian languages, establishing a basis for comparative analyses and contributing to the preservation of linguistic variety. Moreover, the study enhances understanding of the functioning of serial verb formulations within a particular linguistic and cultural framework, hence advancing theoretical knowledge in syntax and semantics. Future research may explore Bugis sentence forms through other theoretical frameworks to enhance the understanding of Bugis language typology.

Spatial effects with missing data

Abstract In recent years, there has been an increased attention and interest in quantitative and statistical models of language contact and language diffusion in space. This article presents an improved model, multivAreate 2, to estimate spatial and contact relations between languages and dialects based on work by Guzmán Naranjo and Mertner ((2022). Estimating areal effects in typology: A case study of african phoneme inventories. Journal of Linguistic Typology 27(2), 455–80) and Ranacher et al. ((2021). Contact-tracing in cultural evolution: A Bayesian mixture model to detect geographic areas of language contact. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 18(181), 1–15). We test our model on three different datasets: Balkans, South America (Ranacher et al. (2021). Contact-tracing in cultural evolution: A Bayesian mixture model to detect geographic areas of language contact. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 18(181), 1–15), and the Americas (Urban et al., (2019). The areal typology of western middle and south america: Towards a comprehensive view. Linguistics 57(6), 1403–63). We show that this new model can address shortcomings found in previous models, and it offers some useful tools for researchers working on contact and areal linguistics.

Comparing the Paraphrasing Ability of ChatGPT and Kimi AI in Jane Eyre：a Qualitative Study

This study compares the paraphrasing abilities of ChatGPT and Kimi AI in Jane Eyre, based on a linguistic typology standard. Firstly, the data shows a general paraphrasing situation across each facet of the standard, demonstrating the two Large Language Models(LLMs) performed better in their original source languages, English and Chinese. Subsequently, qualitative case studies demonstrate the discrepancy of single quantitative study and delves deeper into the English-Chinese comparison behind the behaviour of the two models, which is analyzed with comparative Linguistics, advanced translation studies and even Literature theories. The results demonstrate that English is more hypotactic, using more variations of words or clause to express compared to Chinese. Chinese, on the other hand, is more paratactic, requiring more modifiers to concretize the same expression. In conclusion, this paper sheds light on and contributes to the linguistic characteristics of the source languages in developing and refining LLMs for NLP tasks. Meanwhile, concerns are raised about the limitations due to the limited case study and translation deviation. Additionally, this paper rasies suggestions for future AI modification and personalizes development of future LLMs and AI.

The function of Theme in Spanish

Abstract The main objective of this paper is to outline the system of theme in Spanish starting from its realisation in texts (Martin 2013). In order to do this, Halliday’s definition of Theme is revised and the distinction he proposes between the definition of a function and its means of realisation is followed (Halliday 1985, 1994). Then, a brief corpus of text instantiating different genres is analysed, considering different options of mood in the clause. The perspective assumed is language typology in systemic functional linguistics (Martin 1983; Caffarel et al. 2004a; Quiroz 2013; Martin et al. 2023), which highlights the peculiar characteristics of the language at stake based on patterns found in actual discourse and observes the phenomenon under study from above, from around and from below (Matthiessen and Halliday 2009).

Development of Verb Inflectional Complexity in Palestinian Arabic.

This study describes the development of verb inflectional morphology in an urban dialect of Palestinian Arabic (PA) spoken in northern Israel, specifically in the city of Haifa, and explores the effect of language typology on acquisition. We analyzed naturalistic longitudinal speech samples from one monolingual Arabic-speaking girl aged 1;11-2;3 during spontaneous interactions with family members. Initially, truncated forms ("bare stems") were common but disappeared by the end of the study. By age 1;11, the girl was in the proto-morphological stage, displaying clear three-member mini-paradigms. Affixation complexity gradually increased, with adjacent and obligatory suffixes acquired before distant and optional prefixes. The early acquisition of indicative prefixes (b-, m-) preceded the later emergence of complex proclitics (e.g., volitive d-, progressive ʕam), suggesting gradual, systematic morphological acquisition. We propose three principles for the development of PA verb inflection: (a) Adjacency: Affixes adjacent to the base are acquired first. (b) R-salience: Suffixes are acquired earlier than prefixes. (c) Obligatoriness: Obligatory morphemes precede optional ones. These principles predict the girl's morphological development and reflect sensitivity to PA's richly inflecting typology. This study highlights the need for detailed descriptive research that is essential for understanding language acquisition processes and informing assessment tools, intervention programs, and educational curricula for PA-speaking children.

Text structure complexity: a question of language typology or language usage?

ABSTRACT In this paper, I describe some of the most distinct differences between typical Romance and Scandinavian text structure, with particular reference to Italian and Danish respectively. I point to some of the phenomena which – in my experience as a teacher of Italian in Denmark for over 40 years – have been most problematic to Danish students of Italian, namely the differences in text complexity and text density between otherwise parallel Italian and Danish texts. Other things being equal, Romance text structure typically reveals a more complex and compact form than Scandinavian text structure, with more propositions per sentence and more propositions textualised without a finite verb, i.e., “deverbalised.” On the basis of statistical analyses of four different Italian-Danish text corpora, three of (typologically different) comparable texts and one of adaptations, I discuss whether the mentioned text structure differences should be considered a question of language typology, e.g., the fundamental differences between “endocentric” and “exocentric” lexicalisation ascertained by the Danish research group Typolex, or rather a question of language usage. I also briefly comment on the usefulness of the two text types, comparable texts and adaptations, for cross-linguistic text structure comparison.

Создание языкового контента: теория и практика (на материале веб-версии базы данных «Языки мира» ИЯз РАН)

The article deals with the language description transfer from the encyclopaedic edition «Languages of the World» to the «Languages of the World» database web version. The feature base structure and dependencies within different sections are analysed, along with the possible ways of terminology unification. The article may be of interest to specialists in linguistic typology, data formalisation and development of linguistic databases.

Phonetic Universals

Understanding the range and limits of crosslinguistic variation stands at the core of linguistic typology and basic science. Linguistic typology is concerned with the relevant dimensions along which languages can vary and those along which they remain stable; an overarching goal is to understand the cognitive, physical, social, and historical factors that shape language. Phonetics is no exception to this enterprise, but it has faced obstacles in crosslinguistic data collection and processing power. The field has nevertheless established a solid foundation regarding the relevant dimensions of stability, revealing strong phonetic tendencies across languages (i.e., universals). This article provides an overview of phonetic universals with a summary of previously attested descriptive and analytic phonetic universals and consideration of methodological aspects when investigating phonetic universals. The increasing availability of multilingual speech data along with advanced speech processing tools promises a new era for investigations into crosslinguistic phonetic variation and systematicity.

<b>English Language Anxiety in Higher Education: A Case Study of Spanish Students</b>

This article examines the anxiety of French-speaking students in the Spanish Department at the University of Yaoundé I (Cameroon) while learning English. We used quantitative and qualitative methods. The theoretical framework adopted for this study is the Affective Filter Hypothesis developed by Krashen (2009). The results showed that anxiety is a barrier that negatively affects the learning of English by French-speaking students. Several factors were found to be at the root of this anxiety: language typology, language level, the influence of French, personality, the reactions of others, and beliefs. We also found that students were anxious about learning Spanish, but this anxiety affected them positively. The paper suggests that learners should be in permanent contact with the English language, teachers and students should develop language tolerance by focusing on the message, not the language form, and teachers should include digital technologies to lower anxiety.

Grammatical Alliance in Malay Language: A Study of Linguistic Typology

This article is entitled Aliansi Gramatikal Na Lingua Melayu: Study of Linguistic Typology. This study of the Malay language's grammatical alliance aims to understand (1) the basic construction of clauses, (2) the construction of complex sentences, (3) the pivotal system, and (4) ultimately the definition of the grammar alliance system. This study uses the theory of language typology as the main theory proposed by Comrie. (1988). These research data are clauses and sentences. Qualitative descriptive. This approach aims to understand the existence of the overlap of different external and internal symptoms of the subject being the subject of the study. Data from the coordinative construction and subordinative construction of the Malay language typologically leads to the finding that in syntax, the Malay languages treat S equally with A, and give different treatment to P (S`=`A`≠ P). The Malay language is a group of languages that works with the S/A pivot system. A system of grammatical alliances such as this suggests that Malay is syntaxically a language of nominative-akusative type. Observing the behavior of S on the intransitive clause with the behaviour of A and P on the transitive clauses of Malay language which indicates that S is equal to A and equally equal with P, then morphologically Malay language has a tendency as a nominative-akusative language.

COMPOUNDING AS A WORD FORMATION PROCESS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK: STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVES

Compounding is a fundamental word formation process that plays a significant role in the lexical development of both English and Uzbek. This article provides a comparative analysis of compounding in these two languages, focusing on both structural and functional perspectives. In English, compounds are formed by the combination of different parts of speech and often exhibit a flexible structure, with stress patterns distinguishing compounds from phrases. In contrast, Uzbek compounds predominantly follow noun-noun constructions and maintain a head-final structure, reflecting the agglutinative nature of the language. Functionally, compounding in both languages supports lexical innovation, semantic economy, and cultural expression. This study highlights the similarities and differences between English and Uzbek compounding, providing insights into how linguistic typology influences word formation processes.

К ассоциативной типологии в контексте изучения языка как достояния человека

The article discusses a number of fundamental for the development of associative typology propositions connected with systemogenesis of language as a human species- specific phenomenon. Using the example of the psychological meanings of lexical units that make up the ethnopolitically marked paradigm of the “national”, the author reflects on the patterns in the functioning of a living language, which are revealed on associative- verbal models of the Russian Language Personality (RLP) and can serve as the basis for the development of an associative typology of language. The article considers the problem of ontology and functional motivation of associative (active) grammar (as an inherent property of a linguistic personality) on a semantic basis. The hypothesis of associative grammar as a factor contributing to the integrative formation of meaningful units in the course of their being recruited for the inclusion into the speech flow through elimination of redundancy is proposed for consideration. It is stated that different functionally specific types of techniques aimed at elimination of redundancy and discovered via experiment can be considered as a subject for analysis in associative typology in the light of whole-systemic comparative analyses of network models of an average (national) linguistic personality. They can be described in terms of associative dominants (accentuations of a linguistic personality) and statistically formalized using vector models represented as psychoglosses and /or chronoglosses (in current diachrony).

Sexisms on Facebook Page Threads of Xyriel Manabat: A Linguistic Analysis

Linguistic sensitivity is crucial in shaping individuals' thoughts, perceptions, and attitudes. The impact of language influences the creation of opportunities or the imposition of boundaries. This study delves into the realm of sexist language on the Facebook Page threads of the Filipina Child Star Xyriel Manabat, exploring both linguistic and non-linguistic aspects. Drawing on Mill's sexist language typology and Herring et al.'s framework for non-linguistic features, five posts from 2021-2022, gathering the 50 most engaging comments were analyzed. Of these, 36 comments exhibited sexist language. The findings identified five overt forms of sexism, including Naming, Insult terms, Semantic Derogation, and generic Pronouns, while indirect sexism manifested in Humor and Presupposition. Non-linguistic features, such as Emoji and Emoticons, Stickers and GIFs, Images, and Videos, were also noted in sexist comments. The conclusion drawn is that Xyriel Manabat's Facebook page comment sections contain sexist languages, characterized by specific linguistic and non-linguistic features. The study advocates for the use of gender-fair language in social media and educational settings, emphasizing the need for linguistic sexism awareness. Additionally, it encourages future research to explore other platforms and materials for comparative analysis, aiming to contribute to a broader understanding of linguistic dynamics in contemporary communication.

D-features or ellipsis in null subject licensing? Evidence from Brazilian and European Portuguese

Abstract Holmberg (Holmberg, Anders. 2005. Is there a little pro? Evidence from Finnish. Linguistic Inquiry 36(4). 533–564) and its revised version in Holmberg et al. (Holmberg, Anders, Aarti Nayudu & Michelle Sheehan. 2009. Three partial null-subject languages: A comparison of Brazilian Portuguese, Finnish, and Marathi. Studia Linguistica 63(1). 59–97) derive the availability of null subjects in a given language from the interaction between T with/without a D(efiniteness)-feature and the features of subject pronouns. Their theory predicts the existence of consistent null subject languages, whose T has the D-feature, and partial null subject languages, whose T lacks the D-feature. This paper examines this D-feature approach to null subjects against the empirical evidence provided by Brazilian Portuguese, a partial null subject language, and European Portuguese, a consistent null subject language, showing that it cannot account for the range of microvariation observed with respect to different null subject pronouns and the type of T (finite vs. participle vs. gerund). We argue that, in comparison, the ellipsis account of null subject licensing put forward in Martins and Nunes (Martins, Ana Maria & Jairo Nunes. 2021. Brazilian and European Portuguese and Holmberg’s 2005 typology of null subject languages. In Sergio Baauw, Frank Drijkoningen & Luisa Meroni (eds.), Romance languages and linguistic theory 2018. Selected papers from “Going Romance” 32, Utrecht, 171–190. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins) fares better. It retains from Holmberg (Holmberg, Anders. 2005. Is there a little pro? Evidence from Finnish. Linguistic Inquiry 36(4). 533–564 et seq.) the insight that the licensing of null subjects depends on the interaction between the features of T and the features of subject pronouns but resorts only to ϕ-features and Case. Crucially, it relies on the (theoretically and empirically) plausible assumption that the relation between abstract ϕ-features and verbal agreement morphology need not be transparent.

Verdifullt om verbkongruens

In his excellent thesis from 2022, Adam Horn af Åminne discusses the reduction and loss of agreement for person and number in North Germanic in general, and in South-West Swedish dialects in particular. In this paper, I adhere to the tradition of doctoral thesis defences in Scandinavia, which is both to summarise the work and to question some of the conclusions. The thesis presentsa valuable survey of the process of gradual reduction and ultimate loss. It incorporates insights from typological linguistics and it tracks the final stages in South-West Swedish dialects of the 19th and 20th centuries in detail. The fact that this kind of agreement remained for so long has received too little attention up until now, so the thesis is a welcome contribution. The reduction process is also studied in particular individuals; the author uses the old dialectological data in a new way. He shows differences between dialect areas, and that the newer patterns tend to turn up first in areas that are more ‘central’. Where we have traditionally seen a dialect levelling in Sweden, the author sees a language shift. Arguments are presented for seeing the process as simplification. On this point, however, I am somewhat sceptical. While the final outcome may look like simplification, many intermediate stages do not, making it difficult to believe that simplification is the motivation for the process.