Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
1.4
0.9
Journals
Languages
Special Issues
Dialectal Dynamics
share announcement

Dialectal Dynamics

A special issue of Languages (ISSN 2226-471X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 July 2024) | Viewed by 4350

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Alfred Lameli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Center Deutscher Sprachatlas, University of Marburg, 35037 Marburg, Germany
Interests: language variation; language change
Dr. Simonetta Montemagni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Computational Linguistics “Antonio Zampolli”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: dialectology; computational linguistics; digital humanities
Prof. Dr. John Nerbonne

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands
2. Faculty of Philology, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, 79085 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
3. Words, Bones, Genes & Tools, DFG Center, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
Interests: dialectology; computational and quantitative linguistics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The quantitative work in dialectology in the last quarter century enables us to document, analyze and map the distribution of dialectal language variation in unprecedented detail. However, usually we do not know why distributions of variation have taken the form they have. We suspect that progress in this aspect of dialectology is likely to arise in reflection about social and geographical factors together and indeed there is work that points in this direction. The Languages special issue we propose to edit would like to extend and build on this work in two ways.

First, we wish to stimulate dialectological theory based on the progress attained in quantitative work. A special focus will therefore be on work that deals with the combination of linguistic and, for example, social, cultural or economic influences in examining the distribution of linguistic variation. Second, we are also excited about the methodologically solid work being done on lesser studied languages and varieties, often in conjunction with language documentation. By encouraging and including research on a broader range of languages and varieties, we hope to avoid the myopia lurking when research is focused too narrowly on well-studied languages and areas.

We are open to work that addresses these topics even while presenting novel approaches to data collection and analysis, but all papers ought to address theoretical issues or should broaden the linguistic database by reporting on research on less studied languages. 

In this context, we understand a theory-based approach to mean a more in-depth examination of empirical linguistic results.  We encourage the submission of reports on the modeling of both linguistic processes and linguistic states.  On a macro level, this may concern the change of language systems in specific contact situations or the interdependencies of linguistic and extralinguistic factors, such as geographical, social and cultural ones.  On a micro level, this may involve the evaluation of linguistic features in the language system or the connection between language use and linguistic complexity.

We invite papers on unpublished work addressing the topics above as well as survey articles covering research lines where several studies exist that deserve consolidation and/or criticism. Survey articles should aim to draw out the main results of specific research lines and try to suggest promising directions for the future. We aim for this volume to go beyond collections such as Nerbonne & Kretzschmar (2013) and complement existing collections such as the Frontiers issue on computational sociolinguistics (Grieve et al 2019–2022) and survey articles such as Nguyen et al. (2020).  The Languages special issue will focus more on linguistic issues, dialectological theory, and the analyses of less studied dialect landscapes.

We request that interested authors submit a proposed title and abstract of 400–600 words summarizing their intended contribution and that they do this by 1 Feburary 2024 and prior to submitting a manuscript.  Please send this to the guest editors and to the journal office at [email protected].  Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purpose of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the special issue, but please note that abstract acceptance does not constitute acceptance of the manuscript to be submitted later.  Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

Tentative Completion Schedule
Abstract Submission: 1 February 2024
Notification of Abstract Acceptance: 1 March 2024
Full Submission Deadline: 1 July 2024    

Reference

Grieve, Jack et al. (ed.) (2019–2023) Computational Sociolinguistics, Topic in Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence. https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/9580/computational-sociolinguistics#overview

Nerbonne, John & William Kretzschmar, Jr. (eds.) (2013) Dialectometry++. Spec. issue of LLC: Journal of Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 28(1).

Nguyen, Dong, et al. (2020) "How we do things with words: Analyzing text as social and cultural data." Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 3:62.

Prof. Dr. Alfred Lameli
Dr. Simonetta Montemagni
Prof. Dr. John Nerbonne
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Languages is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dialectology
  • social dialectology
  • dialectological theory
  • language documentation

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 4218 KiB  
Article
Dialect Classification and Everyday Culture: A Case Study from Austria
by Philip C. Vergeiner
Languages 2025, 10(2), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10020017 - 23 Jan 2025
Viewed by 383
Abstract
Considering dialect areas as cultural areas has a long tradition in dialectology. Especially in the first half of the 20th century, researchers explored correspondences between dialect variation and other elements of everyday culture such as traditional clothing and customs. Since then, however, few [...] Read more.
Considering dialect areas as cultural areas has a long tradition in dialectology. Especially in the first half of the 20th century, researchers explored correspondences between dialect variation and other elements of everyday culture such as traditional clothing and customs. Since then, however, few studies have compared dialect variation with everyday culture, and virtually none have used quantitative methods. This study addresses this issue by employing a multivariate, dialectometric approach. It examines dialect variation in phonology and its relationship to non-linguistic aspects of everyday culture in Austria using two types of data: (a) dialect data from a recent dialect survey, and (b) ethnographic data published in the ‘Austrian Ethnographic Atlas’. Analyzing 90 phonetic-phonological and 36 ethnographic variables, statistical methods such as multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis (CA) are employed. The results show only limited overlap between the linguistic and ethnographic data, with cultural patterns appearing more fragmented and small-scale. Geographical proximity is more indicative of cultural than linguistic similarity. MDS and CA reveal clear geographical patterns for the linguistic data that align with traditional dialect classifications. In contrast, the cultural data show less distinct clustering and only small-scale regions that do not coincide with the linguistic ones. This article discusses potential reasons for these differences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dialectal Dynamics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 2291 KiB  
Article
Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek
by Stavros Bompolas and Dimitra Melissaropoulou
Languages 2025, 10(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10010013 - 16 Jan 2025
Viewed by 539
Abstract
This study investigates the interplay between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in language contact scenarios, focusing on inner Asia Minor Greek (iAMGr), a dialect cluster influenced by Turkish and isolated from other Greek-speaking regions. Using dialectometric techniques, we quantified the dialect distances—encompassing both grammatical [...] Read more.
This study investigates the interplay between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in language contact scenarios, focusing on inner Asia Minor Greek (iAMGr), a dialect cluster influenced by Turkish and isolated from other Greek-speaking regions. Using dialectometric techniques, we quantified the dialect distances—encompassing both grammatical and lexical features, many of which reflect foreign interference—between nineteen iAMGr varieties. A regression analysis was then employed to evaluate the impact of geographic, demographic, and other macro-social factors on these distances. The results reveal distinct patterns. The grammatical features show a substantial divergence between communities, linked to structural borrowing and primarily influenced by the dominant group’s population size and degree of contact (low- vs. high-contact variety types). In contrast, lexical features exhibit greater convergence, primarily influenced by geography, linked to the susceptibility of lexical borrowing to casual contact. Unlike previous dialectometric studies that report a strong correlation between geographic and dialect distances, our findings suggest that geography’s influence varies by linguistic level, being more pronounced in lexical distances. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that certain dialect-specific factors previously identified in qualitative studies on iAMGr are statistically insignificant. The study concludes that, while geography remains relevant, macro-social factors often play a more critical role in language contact settings, particularly in shaping grammatical distances. These findings provide new insights into the determinants of dialect distances in such contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dialectal Dynamics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1127 KiB  
Article
Non-Conditioned, Unconscious Intra-Individual Variation
by Gotzon Aurrekoetxea
Languages 2025, 10(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10010005 - 3 Jan 2025
Viewed by 382
Abstract
Far from the uniformity of language and the ideal speaker, it is assumed that language varies even within the same speaker, and that such variation is intrinsic to this speaker. This intra-individual variation has been understood mostly as stylistic variation (Hernández-Campoy & Cutillas-Espinosa, [...] Read more.
Far from the uniformity of language and the ideal speaker, it is assumed that language varies even within the same speaker, and that such variation is intrinsic to this speaker. This intra-individual variation has been understood mostly as stylistic variation (Hernández-Campoy & Cutillas-Espinosa, 2012) and is becoming increasingly important (Werth et al., 2021) in the scholarly literature. Admitting that stylistic variation exists, I argue that not all intra-individual variation is conditioned and conscious, according to my data. The analysis will be carried out with data from the Basque linguistic atlas (EHHA) (Aurrekoetxea & Videgain, 2010–2020), which examines systematically the intra-individual variation of speakers in the elicitation phase. Based on these data, the aim of this paper is to show that there are also non-conditioned and unconscious types of variation, and to give a preliminary outline of a theory that accommodates these types of variation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dialectal Dynamics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 22879 KiB  
Article
Exploring Tonal Variation Using Dialect Tonometry
by Ho Wang Matthew Sung and Jelena Prokić
Languages 2024, 9(12), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9120378 - 18 Dec 2024
Viewed by 613
Abstract
Most research on dialectometry so far primarily focuses on European languages. Within these studies, analyses on the phonetic level predominantly focus on segments. A lack of studies on languages outside of Europe means that the variation in many lesser-studied languages, including tonal languages, [...] Read more.
Most research on dialectometry so far primarily focuses on European languages. Within these studies, analyses on the phonetic level predominantly focus on segments. A lack of studies on languages outside of Europe means that the variation in many lesser-studied languages, including tonal languages, is largely unknown. Tonal languages are languages which pitch is used as an indication in the lexical realisations in (at least some) morphemes, and over half of the world’s languages include lexical tones. Despite tones being the inseparable and unneglectable part of the majority of the world’s languages, there is only a handful of quantitative dialectometric studies on the dialectal variation in tonal languages. In this paper, we explore the phonetic and phonological variations in Yue, a lesser-studied tonal language spoken by around 80 million people in Southern China. Using a newly devised tone representation (modified Onset–Contour–Offset) combined with the Levenshtein distance, we explore the patterns of dialectal variation on the tonal level, as well as to what extent tonal variation correlates with segmental variation. Our results show that tones behave rather differently from segments, and thus, we illustrate that studying lesser-studied and tonal languages can contribute immensely to the study of dialect variation in general. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dialectal Dynamics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 43763 KiB  
Article
The Application of Geospatial Analysis Methods for the Reconstruction of Lithuanian–Slavic Ethnolinguistic Boundaries in Southeastern Lithuania
by Aidas Gudaitis
Languages 2024, 9(12), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9120359 - 25 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1040
Abstract
(1) Background: The article addresses the issue of geospatial dynamics of Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic boundaries in Southeastern Lithuania (SEL) that were influenced by long-term Lithuanian–Slavic linguistic competition. The aim of the study was to reconstruct the Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic boundaries and reveal the intensive contact [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The article addresses the issue of geospatial dynamics of Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic boundaries in Southeastern Lithuania (SEL) that were influenced by long-term Lithuanian–Slavic linguistic competition. The aim of the study was to reconstruct the Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic boundaries and reveal the intensive contact zones in the late 19th century based on published data. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the geospatial changes in the ethnolinguistic situation in the research area during the period 1890–2021. (2) Methods: The ESRI ArcGIS technology geoprocessing tools were applied for boundary reconstruction and geospatial change detection. Cartographic materials, statistical data, and national census information were utilized in the process. (3) Results: The gained results provided a better understanding of Lithuanian–Slavic ethnolinguistic dynamics over space and time in the research area. The study reveals that the ethnolinguistic boundary in the Vilnius–Trakai urbanized area shifted in favor of the Lithuanian language, suggesting its potential influence on the metropolitan suburbs in the future. However, insufficient social infrastructure and weak economic development in rural settlements have led to a negative migration balance, a low birth rate, and rapid population aging. These challenges might have a negative effect on the future survival of the Lithuanian language in the multilingual rural area of SEL, especially considering the recent geopolitical realia in the region. (4) Conclusions: The study anticipates an increase in the influence of the Lithuanian language in the Vilnius–Trakai metropolitan area at the expense of further decline in the rural Lithuanian-speaking population in the next decade. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dialectal Dynamics)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop