Language and Linguistics Compass最新文献

{"title":"Linguistic Diversification and Rates of Change: Insights From a Diverse Sample of Sociolinguistic Studies","authors":"John Mansfield","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.70022","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Language diversification and change can be studied using phylogenetic modelling of families over thousands of years, or by close observation of changes unfolding over a few decades at the community level. While the phylogenetic approach uses data from hundreds of languages to make cross-linguistic generalisations, community-level studies of sociolinguistic variation have until recently been limited to a very narrow language sample. However this is now changing, with variationist studies published on a wider range of languages. In this article I assemble a sample of variationist studies encompassing 63 languages from 26 families, and explore potential patterns regarding rates of change in linguistic features, and which features are associated with social identity signalling, which may lead to diversification. These observations largely converge with results obtained from phylogenetic methods, suggesting that more systematic meta-analysis of variationist studies will provide a new way to investigate the evolutionary dynamics of language.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70022","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145181600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Role of Play in Language Structure, Acquisition and Evolution","authors":"Antonio Benítez-Burraco,&nbsp;Stefan Hartmann,&nbsp;Michael Pleyer","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70021","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70021","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Similarly to language, play is an essential component of human behaviour and culture. However, the links between play and language have been underexamined and often neglected beyond the aesthetic uses of language as found in literature. But playing pervades language. In this paper, we provide an overview of the central role of play in shaping language structure, use, acquisition, and evolution. Accordingly, many aspects of language structure can be related to playing, in part because of the human proclivity for order, regularity and symmetry, but also because ‘playful’ structures and playing with language can be expected to facilitate language acquisition, as well as other functions of language, particularly those related to social fitness. From an evolutionary perspective, in parallel with the increase of our playing behaviour (more time devoted to play and more diversity in types) as a result of biological and cultural changes, play can be argued to have provided a scaffolding for the emergence of more complex linguistic structures, as found in modern languages, and more complex uses of language, as found in modern pragmatics. More complex language use supports the emergence of more complex playing behaviour, which in turn enables more complex playing behaviour, enabling more complex language structures, in a feedback loop. Compared to other accounts, our paper provides a more nuanced view of the nature and origins of language structure and patterns of use, as a result of broader changes in human cognition and behaviour (particularly, on our proclivity to play) as we evolved towards more prosocial behaviour.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70021","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145037630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Truth-Value Judgment Tasks in Second Language Research","authors":"Shaohua Fang,&nbsp;Elaine J. Francis","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70019","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70019","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This paper provides a focused review of truth-value judgment tasks (TVJTs) as a method for eliciting interpretations in adult second language learners. We present the historical perspectives, the rationale for their use, the nature of the knowledge they target, and critical design considerations. Additionally, we discuss their effectiveness in uncovering how second language learners access and compute meaning, as well as emerging directions for research and pedagogy using this method. We advocate for refining TVJTs to more accurately capture linguistic competence by empirically validating relevant crucial design features. Moreover, we highlight some of the advantages of incorporating web-based TVJT experiments, which enhance transparency, facilitate replication, and accommodate a diverse learner population.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70019","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144869857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Languages Without Tense","authors":"Maziar Toosarvandani","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70017","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70017","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Within formal semantics, languages with no exponent of tense, or with optional tense, have begun to be incorporated into the theory of temporality only in the last couple decades. This article traces the development of their study, identifying empirical arguments that arbitrate between competing analyses of tenselessness. How future and past reference is established for root clauses, both in information-seeking exchanges and in narratives, requires differentiating at least three types of tenseless languages. Their temporal systems vary in whether they make use of a topic time, distinct from the eventuality and utterance times, and how they do so. While human language seems to allow for some variation in the temporal interpretation of tenseless clauses, it remains to be seen how constrained this variation is.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70017","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144714688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Neural Network for Sign Language Comprehension","authors":"Brennan Terhune-Cotter,&nbsp;Karen Emmorey","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70018","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70018","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sign languages differ dramatically from spoken languages in their linguistic articulators (the hands/face vs. the vocal tract) and in how they are perceived (visually vs. auditorily), which can impact how they are processed in the brain. This review focuses on the neural network involved in sign language comprehension, from processing the initial visual input to parsing meaningful sentences. We describe how the signer's brain decodes the visual signed signal into distinct and linguistically relevant representations (e.g., handshapes and movements) primarily in occipital and posterior temporal regions. These representations are converted into stable sign-based phonological representations in posterior temporal and parietal regions, which activate lexical-semantic representations. The higher-level processes which create combinatorial semantic-syntactic constructions from these lexical representations are subserved by a frontotemporal network of regions which overlaps with the network for spoken languages. The broad outline of this network is partially specific to the visual modality and partially supramodal in nature. Important avenues for future research include identifying and characterising patterns of activation and connectivity within macroanatomical regions which appear to serve multiple functional roles in sign language comprehension.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlates of Object Raising in Mayan","authors":"Justin Royer,&nbsp;Jessica Coon","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70013","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mayan languages show variation in the morphosyntactic distribution of absolutive objects. A now commonly-adopted analysis ties this variation to differences in object movement and agreement. In so-called ‘high-absolutive’ languages, objects consistently raise to a position <i>above</i> the ergative subject, where they are targeted for <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mi>ϕ</mi>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation> $phi $</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>-Agree by a probe on finite <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msup>\u0000 <mtext>Infl</mtext>\u0000 <mn>0</mn>\u0000 </msup>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation> ${text{Infl}}^{0}$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>. In ‘low-absolutive’ languages, on the other hand, objects remain low and enter into <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mi>ϕ</mi>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation> $phi $</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>-Agree with a low functional head, <i>v</i><span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mo>/</mo>\u0000 <msup>\u0000 <mtext>Voice</mtext>\u0000 <mn>0</mn>\u0000 </msup>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation> $/{text{Voice}}^{0}$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>. This paper surveys the constellation of empirical evidence for this basic division, specifically related to Ā-extraction constraints, the position of absolutive morphemes within the verbal complex, the availability of absolutive marking in nonfinite clauses, and the binding properties of absolutive objects. It then compares an object raising account with alternatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144681460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conjoined Comparison and Variation in Degree Semantics","authors":"M. Ryan Bochnak","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70016","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Conjoined comparisons, consisting of two clauses containing antonymous or positive-negative predicate pairs, are among the most common comparison construction types in the world's languages. As research on degree constructions from a cross-linguistic perspective has increased, so too has the number of studies focused on conjoined comparisons. Although the number of languages that have received in-depth treatment is still fairly small, this growing body of research has already uncovered important aspects of cross-linguistic variation, to the point where we can now begin to hypothesize about the typology of conjoined comparisons. This article summarizes these findings, and takes the first steps towards developing a typology of conjoined comparison constructions, taking into account not only differences between conjoined comparisons, but also the overall degree-behaviour of the languages. It will be emphasized that the existence of conjoined comparison is not diagnostic of the absence of degrees in a language more generally.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144550983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expanding the Typology of Absolutive Syntax in Mayan: Evidence From Northern Mam","authors":"Willie Myers","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70014","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Past work on Mayan languages has divided the family into two groups based on syntactic ergativity: ‘high-absolutive’ languages in which objects raise to a position above the ergative subject and enter into Agree with a high probe and ‘low-absolutive’ languages in which objects remain low and enter into Agree with a low probe. This <span>object raising</span> approach has been proposed to correlate with a constellation of syntactic properties, related to Ā-extraction constraints, morpheme order, nonfinite embedding, and binding effects. This paper adds a third option to the typology based on data from a Northern Mam variety in which objects systematically fail to agree. Though it appears to fall outside of the established paradigm, I argue that this ‘no-absolutive’ syntax is also directly predicted by an <span>object raising</span> analysis which locates variation in the presence or absence of [EPP] and <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mi>φ</mi>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation> $varphi $</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>-probe features on <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mi>v</mi>\u0000 <mo>/</mo>\u0000 <msup>\u0000 <mtext>Voice</mtext>\u0000 <mn>0</mn>\u0000 </msup>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation> $v/{text{Voice}}^{0}$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>. To support this, I show how no-absolutive Northern Mam patterns as we would expect across all previously proposed correlates of object raising. This paper functions as Part II to Royer and Coon 2025, also in this volume.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144085431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Language Change Across Real and Apparent-Time: Case Studies From Yucatan Spanish","authors":"Jim Michnowicz","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70015","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70015","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Variationist sociolinguistics possesses two powerful techniques for examining language change across time: real-time analyses, where the relative distribution of variants is compared for two or more different points in time, and apparent-time analysis, where different age groups in the same study are taken to represent different stages of change. While real and apparent-time are often thought of as conflicting methodologies, in reality they work best in tandem, and have been used together since the earliest sociolinguistic studies. The present study examines three case studies based on Yucatan Spanish, a regional variety of Mexican Spanish in contact with Yucatec Maya, that differs in important ways from surrounding dialects. Due to its unique sociolinguistic context, Yucatan Spanish presents an ideal location to study language change in progress, and the case studies detailed will demonstrate how real and apparent-time methods complement each other to provide a more complete picture of language change as it happens.</p>","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lnc3.70015","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143892803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teaching and Learning Guide for: The Cross-Linguistic Patterns of Phonation Types","authors":"Christina M. Esposito,&nbsp;Sameer ud Dowla Khan","doi":"10.1111/lnc3.70012","DOIUrl":"10.1111/lnc3.70012","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":47472,"journal":{"name":"Language and Linguistics Compass","volume":"19 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143846114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}