Lateral Transmission in Hunter-Gatherer Languages
Author Information
Author(s): Bowern Claire, Epps Patience, Gray Russell, Hill Jane, Hunley Keith, McConvell Patrick, Zentz Jason
Hypothesis
Do hunter-gatherer languages borrow more than agriculturalist languages?
Conclusion
The study found that borrowing rates in hunter-gatherer languages are generally low and comparable to those in agriculturalist languages.
Supporting Evidence
- Loan rates were generally low across all regions studied.
- High mobility and social status asymmetries contributed to variability in borrowing rates.
- No support was found for claims that hunter-gatherer languages borrow more than agriculturalist languages.
Takeaway
This study looked at how often hunter-gatherer languages borrow words from each other and found that they don't borrow as much as people thought.
Methodology
The study analyzed vocabulary items from 122 hunter-gatherer and small-scale agriculturalist languages across three regions, coding words for etymological status and calculating loan rates.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in loan identification due to the reliance on available data and the expertise of the researchers.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable beyond the sampled regions and languages.
Participant Demographics
Languages from hunter-gatherer and small-scale agriculturalist communities in Australia, North America, and South America.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.015
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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