Complexity, Isolation, and Language Change

Abstract

This paper investigates synchronic and diachronic complexity in the nominal inflection of 17 isolated and non-isolated Alemannic varieties. Synchronic complexity is the degree of complexity a variety is comprised of at a specific time, thus, the result of the loss, maintenance and growth of complexity in a variety. Diachronic complexity refers to complexification and simplification (i. e. change in complexity), meaning innovations which lead to higher or lower complexity. The paper tests whether an interrelation between synchronic complexity and isolated/non-isolated language communities can be observed, and whether there is an interrelation between complexification and simplification respectively and isolated/non-isolated language communities. The method to measure synchronic complexity is based on Paradigm Function Morphology (Stump 2001 and Ackerman / Stump 2004). The degree of complexification/simplification is determined by the number of innovations leading to higher/lower complexity. Firstly, it is shown that no clear correlation between synchronic complexity and isolation can be observed. Secondly, non-isolated dialects are affected to a greater extent by simplification as well as complexification (i. e. by language change) than isolated dialects.