lexicostatisticadj.
/ˌlɛksɪkəʊstəˈtɪstɪk/ Linguistics.
Of or relating to the statistics of vocabulary.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > other schools of linguistics > [adjective] > comparative linguistics > specific method
lexicostatistic1952
lexicostatistical1955
1952 M. Swadesh in Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 96 iv. 452 (title) Lexico-statistic dating of prehistoric ethnic contacts.
1965 Canad. Jrnl. Linguistics 10 94 Certain special methods, such as lexicostatistic list comparison, rest on comparative method.
Derivatives
ˌlexicostaˈtistical adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > other schools of linguistics > [adjective] > comparative linguistics > specific method
lexicostatistic1952
lexicostatistical1955
1955 Internat. Jrnl. Amer. Linguistics 21 138 (heading) Lexico-statistical skewing from dialect borrowing.
ˌlexicostaˈtistically adv.
ΚΠ
1963 Language 39 60 (heading) Lexicostatistically determined borrowing and taboo.
ˌlexicostaˈtistics n. (plural construed as singular) a branch of linguistics closely allied to glottochronology n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > other schools of linguistics > [noun] > comparative linguistics > specific method
lexicostatistics1956
1956 S. C. Gudschinsky in Word 12 175 Lexicostatistics is a technique which attempts to provide dates for the earlier stages of languages much as carbon 14 dating provides dates for archaeological finds.
1961 New Scientist 13 July 77/3 The application of lexicostatistics (glottochronology) to African languages.
1964 R. H. Robins Gen. Linguistics viii. 318 The attempt to quantify linguistic divergence from a common source [etc.]..is known as lexicostatistics or glottochronology.
1969 R. A. Hall in Neuphilol. Mitt. LXX. 199 Despite the failure of glottochronology, due to basic theoretical faults, a certain amount of interest has been maintained in other, less aprioristic aspects of lexicostatistics.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1976; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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adj.1952