How to investigate linguistic diversity: Lessons from the Pacific Northwest

Abstract

On the basis of five case studies from languages of the American Pacific Northwest, we argue that, at least in the areas of syntax and semantics, a scientific approach to the study of linguistic diversity must be empirically grounded in theoretically informed, hypothesis-driven fieldwork on individual languages. This runs counter to recent high-profile claims that large-scale typology based on the sampling of descriptive grammars yields superior results. We show that only a hypothesisdriven approach makes falsifiable predictions, and only a methodology that yields negative as well as positive evidence can effectively test those predictions. Targeted elicitation is particularly important for languages with a small number of speakers, where statistical analysis of large-scale corpora is impossible. Given that a large proportion of the world's linguistic diversity is found in such languages, we conclude that formal, hypothesis-driven fieldwork constitutes the best way rapidly and efficiently to document the world's remaining syntactic and semantic diversity.* 1. Introduction. At least half of the world's nearly 7,000 languages will no longer be spoken by the end of this century (Harrison 2007, among many others). This imminent large-scale language extinction has alarming consequences for the investigation of linguistic diversity. If we wish to understand the scope and limits of crosslinguistic variation, it is imperative that in the near future we gather as much information about endangered languages as we can, in a form that allows systematic and accurate crosslinguistic comparison.The need for such work is accepted by linguists of all persuasions; more controversial is how we should go about it. The difficulty of the task is compounded by the fact that nearly all endangered languages are spoken by small and aging populations, and many have already fallen into disuse even among those who speak them fluently. These circumstances pose unique challenges for fieldworkers, who must find the most effective way to probe for linguistic diversity in the limited time frame still available.In this article we present, illustrate, and defend a methodological approach for detecting linguistic diversity in the areas of syntax and semantics. Our method consists of hypothesis-driven research on a range of languages. Data collection is driven by the need to test the predictions of formal hypotheses, and data are gathered primarily (but not exclusively) by means of fieldwork carried out over an extended time period with a small number of speakers.

Intersubjectivity and engagement in Ku Waru

“…For example in his article on definite articles in the World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) Matthew Dryer (2013a) surveys a total of 620 widely scattered languages and finds what he classifies as a definite article in well over half of them. There is of course plenty of room for disagreement in how to define such a category in cross linguistic terms, and Dryer's definition it has been criticized as being too expansive (Davis et al 2014). For present purposes however his definition is a useful one for the way in which it focuses on intersubjective aspects of definiteness and indefiniteness, both in the Western European cases and in the Ku Waru one that I will be considering here.…”

Definite articles and their uses

“…This definition and the typology it underlies have been criticized as being too broad and too vague and as being therefore applicable to languages which do not meet the criteria generally subsumed under the term "definiteness", such as "uniqueness", "familiarity" and "inclusiveness" (cf. Davis, Gillon and Matthewson 2014). In a more elaborate follow-up article to the brief general sketch required by the World atlas of language structures format, Dryer (2014) explains that he wanted to uncover a wider diversity in the use of definite articles than is presented in earlier descriptions and to show that languages with a binary contrast between definite and indefinite articles of the sort found in English are uncommon outside of Europe and the Middle East.…”

On competing degree morphemes in verbs of change in Southern Aymara

“…The methodology used for the latter involved the presentation of contextual scenarios using Spanish as an auxiliary language, which was followed by a request for a felicity judgment on a particular grammatical sentence given that contextual scenario. I refer the reader to Bochnak and Matthewson (2015), Davis et al (2014), Matthewson (2004) for discussion regarding the soundness and validity of the aforementioned methodological choices.…”