• Language death and diversity: philosophical and linguistic implications

    Author(s):
    Lajos Brons (see profile)
    Date:
    2014
    Subject(s):
    Linguistics, Philosophy
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Language Death, Number of Languages
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M6G39X
    Abstract:
    This paper presents a simple model to estimate the number of languages that existed throughout history, and considers philosophical and linguistic implications of the findings. The estimated number is 150,000 plus or minus 50,000. Because only few of those remain, and there is no reason to believe that that remainder is a statistically representative sample, we should be very cautious about universalistic claims based on existing linguistic variation.
    Metadata:
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    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. Date:
    2014
    Journal:
    The Science of Mind (精神科学)
    Volume:
    52
    Page Range:
    243 - 260
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    6 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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