Analysis and Synthesis of the Distribution of Consonants over Languages: A Complex Network Approach

TL;DR

This paper models cross-linguistic consonant inventory similarities using a bipartite network, revealing a two-regime power law distribution driven by preferential attachment, and proposes a synthesis model based on this principle.

Contribution

It introduces a complex network approach to analyze consonant distributions across languages and presents a synthesis model explaining the observed two-regime power law behavior.

Findings

Consonant occurrence follows a two-regime power law distribution.

Preferential attachment explains the emergence of the distribution.

The synthesis model supports the observed network features.

Abstract

Cross-linguistic similarities are reflected by the speech sound systems of languages all over the world. In this work we try to model such similarities observed in the consonant inventories, through a complex bipartite network. We present a systematic study of some of the appealing features of these inventories with the help of the bipartite network. An important observation is that the occurrence of consonants follows a two regime power law distribution. We find that the consonant inventory size distribution together with the principle of preferential attachment are the main reasons behind the emergence of such a two regime behavior. In order to further support our explanation we present a synthesis model for this network based on the general theory of preferential attachment.