1 Language Typology Anna Siewierska & Dik Bakker Lancaster University Variation in Structure: Form and Meaning

1Language Typology

Anna Siewierska&

Dik BakkerLancaster University

Variationin

Structure:Form and Meaning

2Language Typology

Typology: what is it?

What is language typology about?

3Language Typology



1. Looks at 'all' the languages of the world

4Language Typology




2. Describes differences and correspondences between them

5Language Typology





3. Systematizes these observations

6Language Typology





3. Systematizes these observations

4. Tries to explain them (optional)

7Language Typology

Typology: goal

What should be the overall impression?

8Language Typology

Typology: goal


- Languages are (very) different on the outside

9Language Typology

Typology: goal



- When you look a bit better, they have a lot in common

10Language Typology

Typology: goal




- They make choices from restricted options for largely the same categories

11Language Typology

Typology: goal





→ They serve the same purpose: human communication

12Language Typology

Typology: goal





→ They serve the same purpose: human communication

→ They should be learned in first 5-7 years

13Language Typology

Typology: how?

How to proceed?

14Language Typology

Typology: how?

How to proceed?

- Start out from what they already know about language:

15Language Typology

Typology: how?

How to proceed?


- English: spoken vs written; formal vs informal; etc

16Language Typology

Typology: how?

How to proceed?



- English dialects (local!)

17Language Typology

Typology: how?

How to proceed?




- Other languages known to the particular group:

Welsh, Gaelic, Romany, Urdu, Pashto, French, …

18Language Typology

Typology: how?

How to proceed?






- European languages

19Language Typology

Typology: how?

How to proceed?






- European languages

- Rest of the world

20Language Typology

Typology: how?

Further requirements:

21Language Typology

Typology: how?


- No jargon but terms they know

22Language Typology

Typology: how?



- Interactive: involve them

23Language Typology

Typology: how?




- Clear, simple examples from 'exotic' languages

24Language Typology

Typology: how?




- Clear, simple examples from 'exotic' languages

- Sound and Pictures

25Language Typology

Typology: how?

Two forms of implementation of the course:

26Language Typology

Typology: how?


1. Comprehensive: series of 1 hour lessons < 5 (min), 7, 9, … , 15 (max) >

- General introduction- 2 lessons per topic (max = 6):

L1: introduction to the topicL2: exercises and discussion

- Closing lesson

27Language Typology

Typology: how?


1. Comprehensive: series of 1 hour lessons < 5 (min), 7, 9, … , 15 (max) >

- General introduction- 2 lessons per topic (max = 6):

L1: introduction to the topicL2: exercises and discussion

- Closing lesson

2. Compact: 2 or 3 x 1 hour

28Language Typology

Versions

Version 1: Comprehensive

29Language Typology

Comprehensive

Maximum 15x 1 hour lesson:

30Language Typology

Comprehensive


I. What is Typology?

31Language Typology

Comprehensive



T1. Articles (2 x Intro + exercise + Discussion)

32Language Typology

Comprehensive



T1. Articles (2 x Intro + exercise + Discussion) T2. Word Order (I + e + D)T3. Negation (I + e + D)T4. Passive (I + e + D)T5. Pronominal subjects (I + e + D)T6. Subject versus Object (I + e + D)

33Language Typology

Comprehensive



T1. Articles (2 x Intro + exercise + Discussion) T2. Word Order (I + e + D)T3. Negation (I + e + D)T4. Passive (I + e + D)T5. Pronominal subjects (I + e + D)T6. Subject versus Object (I + e + D)

C. Concluding lesson

34Language Typology

Topics

I. INTRODUCTION

35

Speaker of a language

“Everyone in this room speaks ENGLISH”

36



Some: English is their only language mother tongue

37




?

38




Some: English + other language(s):

39





> both are mother tongue multilingual

40





> both are mother tongue multilingual ?

41





> both are mother tongue multilingual

> second language

42


“Everyone in ENGLAND speaks ENGLISH”

Either as a first or a second language

The same English everywhere in England ?

43

English

England

ENGLISH

44

English

England Lancashire

ENGLISH LANCASHIRE DIALECT

45

English

England Lancashire Lancaster

ENGLISH LANCASHIRE LANCASTER DIALECT ACCENT

46

Dialects

Dialects:

English

Lancashire:

47

Dialects

Dialects:

English

Lancashire:

‘That were me brother what went to America’

?

48

Dialects

Dialects:

English

Lancashire:


was my who

49

Dialects

Dialects:

English

Lancashire:


was my who?

50

Dialects

Dialects:

English

Lancashire:


was my who Standard English

51

Dialects

English in the UK = around 45 dialects

52

Dialects


NORTH: Lancashire Cumbrian

Geordie Tyke

53

Dialects


NORTH: LancashireCumbrian

Geordie TykeMIDDLE: Scouse

Brummie

54

Dialects




BrummieSOUTH: Cockney

RP

55

Dialects





Received Pronunciation ('BBC English')

56

Dialects


NORTH: LancashireCumbria




STANDARD:Writing

Education...

57

Dialects


NORTH: LancashireCumbria




STANDARD:Different,Not Better

58

WesternEurope

59

English

Spanish

Portuguese

French

Dutch

DanishIcelandic

Italian

German

WesternEurope

60

English

Spanish

Portuguese

French

Dutch

DanishIcelandic

Italian

German

WesternEurope

61

Other languages

In Europe: 150 languages

How many in the world? ?

62

Other languages

In Europe: 150 languages

How many in the world?

Currently spoken 7000+ languages

In Europe around 2% only

63

64

65

Languages

Languages:

Currently spoken: 7,000

Extinct (known): 500 ?

66

Languages

Languages:


Extinct (known): 500 Latin, Etruscan, Hittite, Babylonian, Old Egyptian, …

67

Languages

Languages:


Extinct (known): 500 Latin, Etruscan, Hittite, Babylonian, Old Egyptian, …

1 more every 2 weeks

68Language Typology

Communalities

Reasons for languages to have something in common:

69Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited (language families):

70Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited:

Germanic: English Dutch German

cow koe Kuh

71Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited:


cow koe Kuh

Romance: French Spanish Italian

vache vaca vacca

72Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited

- Language contact:

73Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited

- Language contact:

English: pig sheep

porc mutton

French: porc mouton

74Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited

- Language contact:

English: pig sheep climb

porc mutton ascend

French: porc mouton ascendre

75Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited

- Language contact:

English: pig sheep climb

porc mutton ascend

French: porc mouton ascendre?

76Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited

- Language contact

- Chance:

77Language Typology

Communalities


- Inherited

- Language contact

- Chance:

'Shut the door' ~ 'Je t'adore' < = I adore you >

78Language Typology

Differences

Reasons for languages to be different:

79Language Typology

Differences


- Other choice for solution common problem

80Language Typology

Differences




cow koe Kuh

81Language Typology

Differences




cow koe Kuh

Plural cows koeien Kühe

82Language Typology

Differences



English: We went into an antique-shop

83Language Typology

Differences




Turkish: Bir antikaci-dan içeri girdik

84Language Typology

Differences





An antique-shop into

85Language Typology

Differences




Turkish: Bir antikaci-dan içeri gir

An antique-shop into went

86Language Typology

Differences





An antique-shop into went-we

87Language Typology

Differences



- Language change:

88Language Typology

Differences



- Language change:

Chaucer (1400):But now, sire, lat me se what shal I seyn

89Language Typology

Differences



- Language change:


2000:But now, sir, let me see what I shall be

90Language Typology

Differences



- Language change:



91Language Typology

Differences



- Language change:



92Language Typology

Differences



- Language change:

Chaucer (1400):But now, sire, lat me se what shal I seyn (Dutch = syn)

2000:But now, sir, let me see what I shall be (Dutch = zyn)

93Language Typology

Topics from typology

6 Topics from Typology:

94Language Typology



- From 'easy' to 'complex'

95Language Typology



- From 'easy' to 'complex'- Related to each other:

e.g. Word Order ~ Passive ~ Subject

96Language Typology




e.g. Word Order ~ Passive ~ Subject - First 'What is this in the English language, and what does it?'

97Language Typology




e.g. Word Order ~ Passive ~ Subject - First 'What is this and what does it?'- Branch out to dialects/languages-in-Britain

98Language Typology




e.g. Word Order ~ Passive ~ Subject - First 'What is this and what does it?’- Branch out to dialects/languages-in-Britain- Further into Europe

99Language Typology




e.g. Word Order ~ Passive ~ Subject - First 'What is this and what does it?'- Branch out to dialects/languages-in-Britain- Further into Europe- Rest of the world

100Language Typology

Topics

T1. ARTICLES


Articles

Article: what is it in English?

'We went to see the football match' vs'We went to see a football match'


Articles

Article: what is it in English, and what does it?


→ Definite: Hearer supposed to know which one→ Indefinite: Hearer NOT supposed to know which one


Articles

Article: what is it in English, and what does it?


→ Definite: Hearer supposed to know which one→ Indefinite: Hearer NOT supposed to know which one

Definite also in case there is only ONE:

The capital of Lancashire is Preston


Articles

About the function:

→ Seems to be important that hearer knows what/which I am talking about, to avoid misunderstandings:

'This is a new player, add her to the story' vs 'I am talking about the one you know, so keep all information about her available'


Articles

About the function:

→ Seems to be important that hearer knows what/which I am talking about, to avoid misunderstandings:

'This is a new player, add her to the story' vs 'I am talking about the one you know, so keep all information about her available'

Would all languages have this device? ?


Articles

About the form: Variation with a language

the [δә] boy the [δI] other one

a [ә] / [eī] boy an [әn] other one


Articles

Local English dialect: Variation across dialects

The same, but possible differences in pronunciation and possibly also use:

Cf. Lancashire dialect:

Oh yes yes they were a primary school (.) Miss Riley she were er (.) er in the [δ] infants you see and then you went up into the [‘] big school


Articles

Scots Gaelic:

am balach = the boy

But:

- balach = a boy


Articles

Conclusion < first version >:

Languages have a definite article, form is different per language,and even per dialect.

Indefinite article may but need not be present in a langage. Absence then means 'indefinite'.


Articles


Languages have a definite article, form is different per language,and even per dialect.


But: based on only 2 languages ...


Articles

English:

the boy

a boy


Articles

English: Dutch:

the boy de jongen

a boy een jongen


Articles

English: Dutch: German:

the boy de jongen der Junge

a boy een jongen ein Junge


Articles





Articles





Articles




Different, but sound more or less the same


Articles




Different, but sound more or less the same


Articles

Scots Gaelic:

am balach = the boy

balach = a boy


Articles

Scots Gaelic: Welsh:

am balach = the boy y gwlad = the country

balach = a boy gwledydd = a country


Articles





Articles





Articles

Not learned much: coincidence???

NO → family relationship:

English, Dutch, German, Danish, Swedish, ...:

Sisters: GERMANIC languages

Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish, Breton, ...:

Sisters: CELTIC languages

123

English

Welsh

Dutch

German

WesternEurope2009

Gaelic

English

Danish

Breton

124

Year100 BC

125

Celtic

Year100 BC

126

Celtic Germanic

Year100 BC

127

Celtic Germanic

Latin

Year100 BC

128

Celtic Germanic

Latin

Year0

129

Celtic Germanic

Latin

Year0

130

Celtic Germanic

Latin

Year400 AD

131

Celtic Germanic

Latin

Year400 AD

132

Celtic Germanic

Latin

Year900 AD

Scots Gaelic

Irish

Welsh

133

Celtic Germanic

Latin

Year900 AD

Scots Gaelic

Irish

Welsh

GermanDutch

English

134

Celtic Germanic

Romance

Year900 AD

Scots Gaelic

Irish

Welsh

GermanDutch

English

Italian

Spanish

French


Articles


Languages have a definite article, form is different per language.



ArticlesConclusion < second version >:



Looking at languages from the same family does not reveal much more about definiteness since languages tend to inherit the same system from their ancestor language. This is still visible after many hundreds of years.


ArticlesConclusion < second version >:



Looking at languages from the same family does not reveal much more about definiteness since languages tend to inherit the same system from their ancestor language

BUT: only two families out of many hundreds ...


Articles

English (GERM): Spanish (ROM): Gaelic (CELT):

the boy el joven am balach

a boy un joven balach


Articles





Articles





ArticlesConclusion < = second version NOTHING NEW >:



Looking at languages from the same family does not reveal much more about definiteness since languages tend to inherit the same system from their ancestor language

BUT: all these languages in close contact (Western Europe)

142

143

SLAVICLANGUAGES:

Russian

Polish

Czech

Croat

...


Articles

English: Polish:

the boy chłopiec

a boy chłopiec


Articles

English: Polish:

the boy chłopiec

a boy chłopiec


Articles

English: Polish:

the boy chłopiec

a boy chłopiec

N.B. Polish speakerswith English as asecond language

often 'forget' the article


Articles

Conclusion < third version >:

Languages may or may not have a definite article.

If they have a definite article, they may also have anindefinite article.

The system seems to be inherited from the ancestor language, because sister languages tend to have the same system.


Articles

Language Types (OBSERVED):

NO ARTICLES

Polish (SLAV)

ARTICLES

ONLY DEFINITE

Welsh (CELT)

DEFINITE & INDEFINITE

English (GERM)

Spanish (ROM)


Articles

Language Types (OBSERVED):

NO ARTICLES ARTICLES

ONLY DEFINITE DEFINITE & INDEFINITE

Universal Rule (???):

Only indefinite article when also definite


Articles

Language Types (LOGICAL):



ONLY INDEFINITE


Articles




Articles



TEST on more languages:

GERM/CELT/ROM/SLAV: related → European Super Family


Articles





Ideally: all languages of the world (7000+): NOT AVAILABLE


Articles





Ideally: all languages of the world (7000+): NOT AVAILABLE

Minimally: one language per family (250 – 400) < SAMPLE >

155

No articles (188) 44%

Definite and Indefinite article (133)30%

Only Definite article (76) 17% 56%

Only Indefinite article (41) 9%

WALS

N = 438


Articles

English: Gaelic: Turkish Polish:

the boy an balach oğlan chłopiec

a boy balach bir oğlan chłopiec

Counter example to (potential) rule


Articles

Conclusion < fourth version; definitive (???) >:

Slightly more than half of the languages have articles.

More than half of these have both a definite and anindefinite article

Of those that have only one type, twice as many have a definite article than an indefinite one


Articles

Language Types (LOGICAL = OBSERVED):



ONLY INDEFINITE

Right Sample


Articles

Polish: English: Gaelic: Turkishchłopiec the boy am balach oğlanchłopiec a boy balach bir oğlan

44% > 30% > 17% > 9%

Articles NOT necessary: often clear in context


Articles


44% > 30% > 17% > 9%


Alternatives: Demonstrative (THIS, THAT)Numeral (ONE)Possessive (MY, HIS) Adjctive (NEW, OTHER, CLOSE, BIG)


Articles


44% > 30% > 17% > 9%


Alternatives: Demonstrative (THIS, THAT)Numeral (ONE)

Historical Source


Articles


44% > 30% = 2x 17% = 2x 9%

If present, why this distribution?


Articles


44% > 30% = 2x 17% = 2x 9%

If present, why this distribution?

Two different forms clearer contrast than one vs noneMost important: difference → one is enough → economicalDefinite article more often stressed than indefinite


Articles

Articles help to identify a referent (known to hearer or not)


Articles


Two main types: languages with (I) and without articles (II) almost equally common ( = not a universal category)


Articles


Two main types: languages with (I) and without articles (II) almost equally common ( = not a universal category)

Three subtypes of (I):a. both finite and indefinite article presentb. only definite articlec. only indefinite article


Topics

T2. WORD ORDER


Word Order

Possibilities:

1. Alternative orders in the noun phrase, including constraints on combinations (DefN, IndefN, DemN, NumN, AN)


Demonstrative – Noun Order


Numeral – Noun Order


Word Order

Possibilities:



Word Order

Possibilities:


2. Main clause order (S / O / V):- simple definition of subject and object - variation in English & dialects- orders in other languages- basic order vs alternatives plus motivation


Main Clause Order


Topics

T3. NEGATION


Topics

T4. PASSIVE


Topics

T5. PRONOMINAL SUBJECTS


Topics

T6. SUBJECTS VS OBJECTS


Topics

C. CONCLUDING LESSON


Conclusion

Resume over all topics, relating them to each other


Conclusion


On the basis of the original statements:





Conclusion


On the basis of the original statements:




- What would be another interesting topic to look at??


Topics

Version 2: Compact


Compact

One 2 - 3 hour version, possibly 2 - 3 x 1 hour:


Compact

One 2 - 3 hour version

1. What is typology?


Compact



2. Languages of the world: areas and families


Compact




3. One or more (simple) phenomena (Article? Word Order?)


Compact





4. Relations between phenomena (only examples)


Compact





4. Relations between phenomena (only examples)

5. Conclusion


Compact



2. areas and families

3. One (simple) phenomenon

4. Relations

5. Conclusion

Very Compact Version

Probably better to make it into

“General introduction toLanguages of the World”


?

Documents

1 Language Typology Anna Siewierska & Dik Bakker Lancaster University Variation in Structure: Form and Meaning