Patterns of Linguistic Diffusion in Space and Time: The Case of Mazatec

TL;DR

This paper investigates the spatial and temporal diffusion patterns of Mazatec dialects using complexity theory, linguistic distances, and statistical analysis to understand their internal structure and historical development.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of complexity theory and statistical methods to analyze dialect diffusion and diversity in Mazatec, an endangered language.

Findings

Identified patterns of linguistic diffusion across Mazatec dialects

Quantified linguistic distances between dialects

Inferred historical development of dialect diversity

Abstract

In the framework of complexity theory, which provides a unified framework for natural and social sciences, we study the complex and interesting problem of the internal structure, similarities, and differences between the Mazatec dialects, an endangered Otomanguean language spoken in south-east Mexico. The analysis is based on some databases, which are used to compute linguistic distances between the dialects. The results are interpreted in the light of linguistics as well as statistical considerations and used to infer the history of the development of the observed pattern of diversity.