Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics
classification of languages
The process and result of grouping several languages together based on certain criteria. (a) Areal (geographical) classification, based on linguistic similarities which have arisen from cultural contact between linguistic communities as well as geographical proximity through borrowing of words and grammatical constructions. Languages which share essential characteristics due to borrowings are termed linguistic areas; examples include the Balkan languages or the influence of Chinese on Vietnamese. (b) Genealogical (genetic) classification, based on linguistic similarities that result from being descendants of a common proto-language. Languages that derive from a common proto-language are called language families, e.g. the Indo-European languages. Genealogical classification is based primarily on words and grammatical forms preserved in common (Voegelin and Voegelin 1977; Ruhlen 1987). (c) Typological classification, based on structural similarities that are independent of geographical influence and/or genealogical affiliation, e.g. isolating/analytic vs synthetic languages, ergative vs nominative languages, languages with various word orders.
Typological similarities can be explained either functionally, i.e. as performing functions which are common to all human languages, or as resulting from a common biological capacity for language present in all human beings (
universals). In specific cases, it is often very difficult to discern between areal, genealogical, and typological factors: for example, there are cases where genealogically related languages are still in geographical contact after their development into separate languages.
References
Campbell, G.L. 1991. Compendium of the world’s languages, 2 vols. London and New York.
Comrie, B. (ed.), 1987. The world’s major languages. London. (2nd edn 1991).
——(ed.) 1990. The major languages of East and South-East Asia. London.
——(ed.) 1990. The major languages of South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. London.
——(ed.) 1990. The major languages of Eastern Europe. London.
——(ed.) 1990. The major languages of Western Europe. London.
Haarman, H. 1976. Aspekte der Arealtypologie. Tübingen.
Haas, M.R. 1966. Historical linguistics and the genetic relationship of languages. In T.A.Sebeok (ed.). Current trends in linguistics. The Hague.
Vol. 3, 113–54.
Hymes, D.H. 1959. Genetic classification: retrospect and prospect. AnL 1. 50–66.
Katzner, K. 1986. The languages of the world. London. (2nd rev. edn 1994.)
Lyovin, A.V. 1966. An introduction to the languages of the world. Oxford.
Parlett, D.S. 1967. A short dictionary of languages. London.
Robins, R.H. 1973. The history of language classification. In T.A.Sebeok (ed.), Current trends in linguistics. The Hague. Vol. 11, 3–44.
Ruhlen, M. 1987. A guide to the world’s languages, vol. I: Classification. London.
Voegelin, C.F. and F.M.Voegelin. 1977. Classification and index of the world’s languages. Bloomington, IN.
Bibliography
Troike, R.C. 1990. A bibliography of bibliographies of the languages of the world, 2 vols. Amsterdam.
historical linguistics, language typology, universals
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