Status Updates From Introducing Language Typolo...

Moravcsik also introduces the notion of markedness as a possible explanation of why the vocabulary across languages seems to be systematic. Criteria mentioned are: syntagmatic simplicity, paradigmatic complexity and frequency. In addition, the chapter also discusses the relationship between language and thought where language does not influence thought but just frames it.

Ch.2: This is one of the more fascinating chapters on the subject matter I have read until now. Moravcsik divides the similarities and differences in vocabulary across languages in six semantic fields: (i) body parts, kinship terms, personal pronouns, numerals, antonymic adjectives and color words. The generalizations in these areas lead to discuss the notion of markedness in typology and the criteria to determine it

It is also discussed the types of statements in typology, implicational universals and tetrachoric tables. Language samples and their limitations in the typological work as well as data sources are introduced

Ch.1: This sets the goals of linguistic typology as the study of similarities and differences among languages in exclusion of their genetic relationship, language contact or geographic effects. Languages are classified in types and the linguist must look for internal or external explanations for these patterns in other related disciplines (formal linguistics, psycholinguistics, pragmatics, cognitive science).