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Historical linguistics as a sequence optimization problem: the evolution and biogeography of U to‐ A ztecan languages
Author(s) -
Wheeler Ward C.,
Whiteley Peter M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
cladistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.323
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1096-0031
pISSN - 0748-3007
DOI - 10.1111/cla.12078
Subject(s) - diversification (marketing strategy) , sequence (biology) , linguistics , historical linguistics , cognate , computer science , homeland , artificial intelligence , natural language processing , biology , philosophy , political science , genetics , marketing , politics , law , business
Language origins and diversification are vital for mapping human history. Traditionally, the reconstruction of language trees has been based on cognate forms among related languages, with ancestral protolanguages inferred by individual investigators. Disagreement among competing authorities is typically extensive, without empirical grounds for resolving alternative hypotheses. Here, we apply analytical methods derived from DNA sequence optimization algorithms to U to‐ A ztecan languages, treating words as sequences of sounds. Our analysis yields novel relationships and suggests a resolution to current conflicts about the P roto‐ U to‐ A ztecan homeland. The techniques used for U to‐ A ztecan are applicable to written and unwritten languages, and should enable more empirically robust hypotheses of language relationships, language histories, and linguistic evolution.