Linguistic Diversity

• 1. Introduction ; 1.1 Preamble ; 1.2 The Family Tree Model ; 1.3 The Linguistic Item and Linguistic Pool ; 1.4 Levels and Diversity in the Linguistic Pool ; 1.5 Justification, Disguised as Apology ; 1.6 The Need for an Interdisciplinary Approach ; 2. Language Evolution: Basic Mechanisms ; 2.1 Introduction ; 2.2 The Neutral Model ; 2.3 Problems with the Neutral Model ; 2.4 Additional Amplifiers ; 2.5 Summary and Conclusions ; 3. Language Evolution: Computer Simulations ; 3.1 Introduction ; 3.2 The Use of Computer Simulations ; 3.3 Methods ; 3.4 Basic Results ; 3.5 More Realistic Social Structures ; 3.6 Social Selection ; 3.7 Functional Selection ; 3.8 Discrete Traits ; 3.9 Discussion ; 3.10 Adaptive Significance of Social Selection ; 4. Language Diversity: Patterns in Space ; 4.1 Introduction ; 4.2 Quantifying Language Diversity ; 4.3 Vectors of Language Spread ; 4.4 Case Studies ; 4.5 Ecological Risk as a Universal Constraint ; 4.6 Testing the Theory: Methods ; 4.7 Testing the Theory: Results ; 4.8 Hunter-gatherers ; 4.9 Conclusions ; 5. Language Diversity: Changes in Time ; 5.1 Introduction ; 5.2 The Palaeolithic Equilibrium ; 5.3 The Neolithic Punctuation ; 5.4 The Neolithic Aftershock ; 5.5 The Industrial Punctuation ; 5.6 Prospect ; 6. Phylogenetic Diversity ; 6.1 Introduction ; 6.2 Lineages and Stocks ; 6.3 The Distribution of Stocks ; 6.4 Stocks and Time: Nichol's Model ; 6.5 Stocks and Time: An Alternative Model ; 6.6 Validating the Model ; 6.7 Conclusions ; 7. Structural Diversity ; 7.1 Introduction ; 7.2 Causes of Structural Diversity ; 7.3 Geographical Distribution of Structural Diversity ; 7.4 Case Study: Phonological Inventory and the Lexicon ; 7.5 Conclusions ; Epilogue ; Appendix - Global Language Diversity Data

This volume represents the synthesis of a bewildering amount of information and theory in numerous disciplines.