[Lingtyp] Emergence of word-class systems

[Juergen Bohnemeyer]

A classic:

Nowak, M. A., J. B. Plotkin, & V. A. Jansen. (2000). The evolution of syntactic communication. Nature 404(6777): 495-8. doi: 10.1038/35006635.

The argument in a nutshell is that if we need a new holophrastic lexical expression for every thought we try to express, language at some point becomes unlearnable. The paper attempts to estimate a threshold at which syntax begins to become advantageous.

Perhaps somewhat regrettably, the authors express that threshold as a function of population size. Why? Because they can. But that’s also where their assumptions begin to be a bit implausible, arguably.

Best -- Juergen

Juergen Bohnemeyer (He/Him)
Professor, Department of Linguistics
University at Buffalo

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From: Lingtyp <lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org> on behalf of John Mansfield <jbmansfield at gmail.com>
Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 11:24 PM
To: lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org <lingtyp at listserv.linguistlist.org>
Subject: Re: [Lingtyp] Emergence of word-class systems
Thanks already for some very useful reading recommendations on this (some via DM).

Since posting the question, I've been reminded of the extent to which word classes are inextricable from phrase structure (and morphology). So arguably the question could be reframed as where does morphosyntax come from.  I have already been recommended to read Hurford (2012) and Heine & Kuteva (2007) on this, but I'd be interested to have any other recommendations for plausible speculations about the emergence of grammar.

On Sun, 2 Apr 2023 at 08:57, John Mansfield <jbmansfield at gmail.com<mailto:jbmansfield at gmail.com>> wrote:
Can anyone point me at literature speculating on how word-class systems may have emerged in human language? That is to say, if we assume that there are or were (proto-)languages without a clear word-class system, then how might one develop?
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