The ecology of language evolution
- Title
- The ecology of language evolution / Salikoko S. Mufwene.
- Published by
- Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2001.
- Author
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Status Not available - Please for assistance. | FormatText | AccessUse in library | Call numberP140 .M84 2001 | Item locationOff-site |
Details
- Description
- xviii, 255 pages : illustrations, maps; 24 cm
- Summary
- "This new work explores the development of creoles and other new languages, focusing on the conceptual and methodological issues they raise for genetic linguistics. Written by an internationally renowned linguist, the book discusses the nature and significance of internal and external factors - or "ecologies"--That bear on the evolution of a language. The book surveys a wide range of examples of changes in the structure, function and vitality of languages, and suggests that similar ecologies have played the same kinds of roles in all cases of language evolution. Drawing on major theories of language formation, macroecology and population genetics, Mufwene proposes a common approach to the development of creoles and other new languages. The Ecology of Language Evolution will be welcomed by students and researchers in creolistics, sociolinguistics, theoretical linguistics, and theories of evolution."--Jacket.
- Series statement
- Cambridge approaches to language contact
- Uniform title
- Cambridge approaches to language contact.
- Subject
- Historical linguistics
- Creole dialects > History
- Languages in contact
- Social ecology
- Social Environment
- historical linguistics
- human ecology
- 18.96 pidgin and creole languages
- Creole dialects
- Englisch
- Kreolisierung
- Sprachkontakt
- Sprachvariante
- Sprachwandel
- Ökologie
- Kolonialismus
- Evolutionstheorie
- Soziolinguistik
- Creooltalen
- Taalgenese
- Ecolinguistics
- Taalcontact
- Lingüística histórica
- Dialeto regional
- Sociolingüística
- Human ecology
- Afrika
- Europa
- Englisch
- Kreolische Sprachen
- Black English
- Genre/Form
- History.
- Contents
- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Founder Principle in the development of creoles -- 3. The development of American Englishes: factoring contact in and the social bias out -- 4. The legitimate and illegitimate offspring of English -- 5. What research on the development of creoles can contribute to genetic linguistics -- 6. Language contact, evolution, and death: how ecology rolls the dice -- 7. Past and recent population movements in Africa: their impact on its linguistic landscape -- 8. Conclusions: the big picture.
- Bibliography (note)
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 226-245) and indexes.