Language Systems: Typology (WS 2022/23)

Thursday, 15:30 - 17:00, 2/N006 (C10.006)

asya.yurchenko@phil.tu-chemnitz.de
Asya Yurchenko, M.A.

(Native and Non-Native) Language Systems: Linguistic Typology

Session 1: Introduction

Exercise 1
Consider the following statements and spell out the assumptions about language that
inform them:
1. English is easier to learn than German because it has less grammar.
2. Chinese has no tenses.
3. Languages embody the worldview of their speakers; therefore, often it is
impossible to translate from one language to another.

Exercise 2
Have a look at the following examples from Malay (Austronesian (Malayic): Malaysia/
Indonesia) (from Tallerman, 2020, p. 27) and describe as many di erences between
English and Malay as you can (e.g., which grammatical categories are marked on
pronouns? How is the copula/possession/plural expressed? What is the element order
within the noun phrase?). Judging from these examples, which language is more analytic
than the other?

ff

 Language Systems: Typology (WS 2022/23)

Thursday, 15:30 - 17:00, 2/N006 (C10.006)
asya.yurchenko@phil.tu-chemnitz.de
Asya Yurchenko, M.A.

3. Genetic a liation
French (Indo-European (Romance): France)
Farsi (Indo-European (Iranian): Iran)

4. Language families

2
ffi

 Language Systems: Typology (WS 2022/23)

Thursday, 15:30 - 17:00, 2/N006 (C10.006)
asya.yurchenko@phil.tu-chemnitz.de
Asya Yurchenko, M.A.

5. Diversity and unity of language

(Source: Whaley, 1996, p. 4)

6. De nition of typology
“The classi cation of languages or components of languages based on shared formal
characteristics.” (Whaley, 1996, p. 7)

English:
• quite a lot of vowels
• strict SVO word order: John called Mary. Mary called John.
• Subject must be expressed, even without an overt entity: It rained.

Mandarin:
• not a lot of vowels, but tone is essential

Ubykh:
• 83 consonants, 3 vowels

Synthetic vs. analytic languages

Inuktitut Vietnamese
Inuujulimaat aniqtirijulimaat inuulaurmata Tất cả mọi người sinh ra đều được tự do và
isumarsurlhutik ammalu ajjiuqatigiiklhutik bình đẳng về nhân phẩm và quyền lợi.
nirsuangunikkut ammalu pijunnautitigut.

fi

fi

 Language Systems: Typology (WS 2022/23)

Thursday, 15:30 - 17:00, 2/N006 (C10.006)
asya.yurchenko@phil.tu-chemnitz.de
Asya Yurchenko, M.A.

Plosives:
1. All languages have at least one plosive (absolute universal)
2. Almost all languages have the stops /p/, /t/ or /k/ (universal tendency)
3. If a language has two voiceless plosives, then of them is /t/ (implicational universal)

(Source: Whaley, 1996, p. 11)

Sources:
Tallerman, M. (2020). Understanding Syntax (5th ed.). Routledge.
Velupillai, V. (2012). An Introduction to Linguistic Typology. John Benjamins.
Whaley, L. J. (1996). Introduction to Typology: The Unity and Diversity of Language. SAGE.