Language Diversity in West Africa: An Ecological Approach Export

@article{citeulike:2211979, abstract = {Analysis of a linguistic atlas reveals an ecological gradient in the diversity of languages in West Africa. As one moves south from arid into lusher ecoclimatic zones, the average size of ethnolinguistic groups decreases. Various factors are considered which may have contributed to this distribution. I argue that the ethnolinguistic map is primarily a reflection of the systems of generalized exchange and mutual dependence into which people enter. It is hypothesized that such social networks function to reduce subsistence risk due to variations in the food supply. If this hypothesis is correct, the average size of ethnolinguistic groups should be inversely proportional to the degree of ecological variability they face. This prediction is tested and found to hold strongly for a large part of West Africa. There is also limited evidence of a correlation between linguistic diversity and topography. It is concluded that ecological risk has been a key historical force in West Africa and that the ethnolinguistic mosaic can be used as a valuable 'fossil record' of people's adaptive social and economic strategies.}, author = {Nettle, D.}, citeulike-article-id = {2211979}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://www.isrl.uiuc.edu/~amag/langev/paper/nettle96languageDiversityJAA.html}, journal = {Journal of Anthropological Archaeology}, keywords = {language\_diversity, real\_data}, month = {December}, number = {4}, pages = {403--438}, posted-at = {2008-01-09 20:01:46}, priority = {2}, title = {Language Diversity in West Africa: An Ecological Approach}, url = {http://www.isrl.uiuc.edu/~amag/langev/paper/nettle96languageDiversityJAA.html}, volume = {15}, year = {1996} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2211979 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2211979 N2 - Analysis of a linguistic atlas reveals an ecological gradient in the diversity of languages in West Africa. As one moves south from arid into lusher ecoclimatic zones, the average size of ethnolinguistic groups decreases. Various factors are considered which may have contributed to this distribution. I argue that the ethnolinguistic map is primarily a reflection of the systems of generalized exchange and mutual dependence into which people enter. It is hypothesized that such social networks function to reduce subsistence risk due to variations in the food supply. If this hypothesis is correct, the average size of ethnolinguistic groups should be inversely proportional to the degree of ecological variability they face. This prediction is tested and found to hold strongly for a large part of West Africa. There is also limited evidence of a correlation between linguistic diversity and topography. It is concluded that ecological risk has been a key historical force in West Africa and that the ethnolinguistic mosaic can be used as a valuable 'fossil record' of people's adaptive social and economic strategies. IS - 4 JF - Journal of Anthropological Archaeology EP - 438 TI - Language Diversity in West Africa: An Ecological Approach VL - 15 SP - 403 KW - language_diversity KW - real_data AU - Nettle, D PY - 1996/December// UR - http://www.isrl.uiuc.edu/~amag/langev/paper/nettle96languageDiversityJAA.html ER -