The people of the Earth speak almost 7000 (seven thousand) languages. Why does humanity need this? How did it happen? Why are these languages spread unevenly around the world? Why is there a high diversity of languages in some regions, but not in others?
The most famous explanation is given by the Bible: “Let us go down and confuse their language there, so that one does not understand the speech of the other” (Genesis 11: 7). The confusion of languages - or the separation of languages, the emergence of a plurality of languages and cultures - is regarded as a punishment of God, a punishment for the Babylonian pandemonium.
Scientists, of course, are not satisfied with this explanation. Even Charles Darwin, who created the modern theory of evolution, was interested in the factors influencing the emergence and spread of languages.
The problem is that these very factors have so far been difficult to measure. It was impossible to "believe the harmony with algebra" of scientific assumptions, and as a result several conflicting theories appeared. Perhaps these "technical" limitations account for the paucity of research papers on this critical topic - according to Michael Gavin, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, fewer than 20 studies have been published to date on factors that have influenced the linguistic - and ethnic - diversity of humankind. …
“It's amazing how little we know about how the scenarios for the multiplication of languages and cultures were created, how the diversity that now defines the very essence of humanity came about,” says Gavin.
& quot; Ethnic Mosaic of Beauty & quot; by Natalia Ivanova. Photo from lensculture.com
Michael Gavin is the leader of an international team of researchers working towards a measurable answer to these fundamental questions. Gavin's “team” is as diverse as the subject of research: it includes linguists, geographers, ecologists, anthropologists and evolutionary biologists from the United States, Brazil, Germany, Canada, and Sweden.
For the experiment, the researchers chose Australia, known for a high diversity of aboriginal languages - there are more than four hundred of them on the continent. Scientists have set themselves a relatively simple goal: to identify the minimum set of factors and processes that determined the number and territorial distribution of languages on the Australian continent.
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The interdisciplinary approach has justified itself: scientists for the first time managed to create an imitation model (computer simulation) of the processes that form scenarios of linguistic diversity. In other words, they set several objective parameters to the computer and obtained a reliable result.
Michael Gavin does not hide the fact that his team did not have any specific approach: they experimented with parameters, applying their knowledge from different fields of science and conventional logic. The experiment was based on models proposed by macroecologists for other purposes.
According to Gavin, in a combination that turned out to be successful, they used three very simple assumptions based on untested hypotheses: 1) groups of people will fill vacant areas, 2) rainfall will limit population density, and 3) groups will split up when population size reaches a certain limit. The divided groups, respectively, will speak different languages.
“We wanted to show that computer modeling can be used to study linguistic diversity. But we ourselves did not expect that such a simple model would show excellent results,”said Gavin.
According to the entered parameters, the computer “predicted” the existence of 406 aboriginal languages in Australia - in reality there are 407 of them. Modeling the territorial distribution of languages turned out to be less accurate: the forecast coincided with reality by only 56%. But a start has been made.
A still from a computer simulation showing a climate and demographic scenario for Australia's linguistic diversity. Image: Biocultural Diversity & Conservation Research Group at CSU / Youtube
In its finished form, the computer model really surprises with its simplicity of approach. On the "blank" map of Australia, scientists have imposed a grid, each cell of which approximately corresponds to an area of 450 square meters. km, sufficient for a group of people to live.
In one of these cells, the computer placed a group of Aboriginal people, and then applied a series of simple rules to it. The rules determined how the primary population grew, how people spread throughout the territory and how they were divided into separate populations that began to speak different languages.
Using the example of Australia, scientists have identified a clear relationship between rainfall / maximum population size and the total number of languages on the continent / their geographical distribution.
However, this is the vulnerability of the computer model proposed by Gavin's team: a formula that works for Australia (including an emphasis on rainfall) is not universal, it will not work everywhere. But scientists do not deny that their model is just the beginning, requiring additional research.
“Several factors, including stark natural contrasts, are unique to Australia,” explains Gavin. “However, we are almost sure that in regions with similar natural conditions and social organization of ancient communities, our model will give a similar result. For example, in parts of Africa and North America. But we understand that the formula is not universal and is not yet applicable in other parts of the world, the results will be erroneous. Nevertheless, we are already offering a scientific method, a tool that can be used to study the processes that have shaped the incredible cultural and linguistic diversity of our world."
The scientists published the results of their work in the publication Global Ecology and Biogeography, a simplified retelling of the study is posted on the website of the University of Colorado.
Maria Myasnikova
