World atlas of language structures

Definition

The World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) is a comprehensive database that compiles information about the structural properties of languages from around the globe. It serves as a critical resource for studying cross-linguistic variation, providing data on syntax, morphology, phonology, and other linguistic features across diverse languages. This tool allows researchers to compare languages systematically and understand the patterns and variations in their structures.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. WALS provides a large-scale database that includes structural characteristics of over 2,500 languages, making it one of the most extensive resources for linguistic research.
2. It categorizes languages into various features such as word order, case marking, and negation, allowing researchers to identify patterns across different linguistic groups.
3. WALS utilizes a typological approach, which emphasizes the study of language structures to uncover general principles that apply across many languages.
4. The data collected in WALS is not static; it is continuously updated as new linguistic research emerges and more languages are documented.
5. WALS plays a significant role in enhancing our understanding of language diversity and contributes to fields such as cognitive science and anthropological linguistics.

Review Questions

• How does the World Atlas of Language Structures facilitate the understanding of cross-linguistic variation?
  • The World Atlas of Language Structures facilitates understanding by providing a centralized database that documents various structural properties of a wide range of languages. By categorizing and comparing these properties—such as syntax, morphology, and phonology—researchers can identify commonalities and differences among languages. This comparative approach allows linguists to explore questions about language universals and how different languages can exhibit similar or distinct features.
• Discuss the impact of WALS on linguistic typology and how it aids researchers in classifying languages.
  • WALS significantly impacts linguistic typology by offering a systematic way to classify and compare languages based on their structural features. By providing detailed information on diverse characteristics like word order or case marking, WALS helps researchers analyze how languages express concepts differently or similarly. This classification not only aids in organizing language data but also enhances theoretical discussions regarding language universals and the nature of human language.
• Evaluate the role of WALS in advancing our knowledge of language diversity and its implications for cognitive science.
  • The World Atlas of Language Structures plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge about language diversity by compiling comprehensive data that showcases the vast array of linguistic features across the world's languages. This resource enables researchers to draw connections between linguistic structures and cognitive processes, potentially revealing how different languages shape thought patterns. By understanding these connections, cognitive scientists can investigate how language influences cognition and social behavior, providing deeper insights into the relationship between language, culture, and human cognition.

Related terms

Cross-linguistic Variation: Differences in linguistic features and structures observed among different languages, often explored to understand language universals and typological patterns.

Linguistic Typology: The classification of languages based on their structural features and grammatical categories, often used to study how different languages express similar ideas.

Syntax:

The set of rules that govern the structure of sentences in a language, determining how words combine to form phrases and sentences.