Commentary: Desiccation and tone within linguistic theory and language contact research

Language evolution and climate: the case of desiccation and tone

We make the case that, contra standard assumption in linguistic theory, the sound systems of human languages are adapted to their environment. While not conclusive, this plausible case rests on several points discussed in this work: First, human behavior is generally adaptive and the assumption that this characteristic does not extend to linguistic structure is empirically unsubstantiated. Seco...

Language contact and language change – linguistic and social issues

research and language attitudes and linguistic ibn sina

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Linguistic Research and Language Teaching

It is not uncommon for theoretical linguists to find themselves involved in language teaching because of their expertise in a specific language, even though their primary training is not in language instruction. Apparent lack of intellectual stimulus and career development is a typical concern shared by those who are in these academic positions; and it is sometimes the case that time spent on l...

Heritage language and linguistic theory

This paper discusses a common reality in many cases of multilingualism: heritage speakers, or unbalanced bilinguals, simultaneous or sequential, who shifted early in childhood from one language (their heritage language) to their dominant language (the language of their speech community). To demonstrate the relevance of heritage linguistics to the study of linguistic competence more broadly defi...