Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Pertaining to statistical methods used in studying the relations between languages: The term describes anything related to the application of statistical analysis to vocabulary data for the purpose of understanding historical relationships, divergence times, or degrees of relatedness between languages.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The linguist presented a lexicostatistic analysis of the Romance language family.
  • Their research relies heavily on lexicostatistic techniques to estimate when two dialects separated.

Advanced Usage

• "lexicostatistic comparison": A specific comparison between languages based on statistical measures of shared vocabulary.

  • The paper features a detailed lexicostatistic comparison of indigenous North American languages.

• "lexicostatistic data": The quantitative vocabulary data used in such studies.

  • The model's accuracy depends on the quality of the underlying lexicostatistic data.

Variants and Related Words

• Lexicostatistics (n): The field or methodology itself, involving the statistical study of vocabulary to determine language relationships and chronology.

  • He specializes in lexicostatistics and glottochronology.

• Lexicostatistical (adj): An alternative adjective form with the same meaning as "lexicostatistic."

  • They employed a lexicostatistical approach to the problem.

Synonyms

• Quantitative linguistic (adj): Pertaining to the measurement and statistical analysis of linguistic phenomena.
• Glottochronological (adj): Specifically related to estimating the time depth of language divergence, often using lexicostatistic methods.

Related Phrases

• To apply lexicostatistics: To use this methodological approach.
  • The team aims to apply lexicostatistics to the poorly documented language group.

Adjective

1. pertaining to statistical methods used in studying the relations between languages
   • lexicostatistic techniques