Article published in:
Language Complexity: Typology, contact, changeEdited by Matti Miestamo, Kaius Sinnemäki and Fred Karlsson
[Studies in Language Companion Series 94] 2008
► pp. 3–22
Complexity in linguistic theory, language learning and language change
In this paper I discuss how the notion of complexity can be defined and operationalized to serve as a concept in linguistic research domains like typology, historical linguistics and language contact and acquisition studies. Elaborating on earlier work (Kusters 2003) I argue that a relative notion of complexity is to be preferred over an absolute one. With such a substantial notion, I show that possible objections raised against the concept of complexity are not valid. I work this further out for complexity in verbal inflectional morphology. Finally I demonstrate some intricacies of complexity with examples from variation and change in Quechua varieties.
Published online: 06 February 2008
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.94.03kus
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.94.03kus
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