Language Trends: Communication gets more streamlined as population increases
According to researchers, languages tend to get more straightforward as a result of population growth.
According to recent research at Cornell University, there seems to be a link between population size and the characteristics of its languages. Countries with fewer speakers tend to have languages that don’t have a vibrant vocabulary, although the grammar might be more complicated. On the other hand, widespread languages, such as Mandarin or English, have incredibly vast vocabularies, while maintaining a relatively simple grammar structure.
The new study involves computer simulations, created by cognitive scientists who tested out the theory. Their results, which have been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, seem to show a trend towards linguistic simplification as languages acquire more speakers due to population growth.
The leading hypothesis concerning the above findings is related to the fact that it’s easier to learn new words, rather than mastering new grammar rules. When a language expands, welcoming in new speakers, it’s easier for them to memorize new phrases or words that they have been exposed to, instead of studying actual grammar and syntax. The phenomenon becomes even more intriguing in large urban areas, such as New York City, where there are many linguistic subgroups, even within the same language, which have evolved to reflect the culture of specific communities.
As the world becomes increasingly globalized, there seems to be a drive towards simplification concerning culture and language. However, communities can still save the nuances of their culture with the proper preservation efforts.
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Catherine Jodar is Founder and Director of Language Advantage Inc. She’s an international communication expert who provides savvy and effective language training for multinational executives who work with international teams.
A French National, Catherine immigrated to Canada when she was 23 years old. Born into a multilingual family, her passion was to bring together people of different cultures more closely, teaching them how to speak to each other. Catherine’s goal for connecting people through communication gave way to her forming her language school. In the past 14 years, Language Advantage has grown to a team of highly qualified 24 highly qualified personal coaches with one office in Toronto and a satellite office in Montreal.
Catherine has won the coveted Asociación de Profesores Hispano-Canadiense – Placa al Mérito award in recognition of her work in 2006 – OISE/University of Toronto, 28 enero 2006.
She speaks and writes about issues facing multinational executives who have to deal with the challenges of working in a foreign language in her talks and in her blogs.
Her biggest personal passion is her adored son who she had when she was 38 and helping him overcome the challenges of his dyslexia.