37.3537, Books: Variation in Word Meanings: Tjuka (2026)

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-37-3537. Tue 27 Oct 2026. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 37.3537, Books: Variation in Word Meanings: Tjuka (2026)

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Date: 27-Oct-2026
From: Sebastian Nordhoff [support at langsci-press.org]
Subject: Variation in Word Meanings: Tjuka (2026)


Title: Variation in Word Meanings
Subtitle: Cross-linguistic patterns and causes of colexifications
Series Title: World Histories of Lexicography and Lexicology
Publication Year: 2026

Publisher: Language Science Press
           http://langsci-press.org
Book URL:
https://langsci-press.org/index.php/LangSci-Press/catalog/book/558

Author(s): Annika Tjuka

eBook

Abstract:

Humans use language to convey meanings through spoken or signed
expressions. However, the way languages divide the world into words
varies. For example, the word laŋ in the language Belhare denotes the
part of the body that reaches from the hip to the toes. In comparison,
English speakers divide this area into two words: foot and leg.
Languages thus combine meanings and express them with the same word; a
phenomenon called colexification. In the approximately 6,500-7,000
languages of the world, meanings are combined in a wide variety of
ways. This raises the following questions: How can we study language
variation in word meanings? What patterns of variation occur and what
causes them? I investigate these questions in this book.
The aim of the book is twofold. First, language comparison is only
possible if data are presented in a format that is accessible to
humans and computers. Thus, I use a computer-assisted approach that
provides a framework for managing large datasets and facilitates
expert-driven reviews. This approach allows for both qualitative and
quantitative analyses by integrating methods from computer science and
linguistics. I illustrate the applicability of this approach by
presenting a lexical database with data on words and concept
properties for 39 languages.
Second, language variation in word meanings is not random. While
language is a product of history, culture, cognition, and coincidence,
disentangling the different effects is a challenge. Yet, there are
similarities in the way languages structure their vocabularies, which
is evidence that there are constraints. By focusing on common
cognitive dimensions that lead to the connections of certain meanings,
the studies provide insights into overarching patterns.

Linguistic Field(s): Lexicography

Written In: English (eng, stan1293)


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