09.02.2021

Using Approximate Bayesian Computation to understand the interplay of language diversification and language contact

Colloquium by Dr. Igor Yanovich

Time: Tuesday, 9th February 2021, 1pm sharp

Speaker: Dr. Igor Yanovich, who is a former fellow and external member of the Center. He is presenting his joined work with Silvia Ghirotto, Patricia Santos, and Andrea Benazzo.

Title: Using Approximate Bayesian Computation to understand the interplay of language diversification and language contact

Abstract: 
In this project, which started from a fellowship during the first stage of the Center, we apply an evolutionary model and the framework of Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) to study the linguistic past of the Bantu language family. The model allows us to study statistically both the signal of the early history of the family and the influence of language contact. We suggest that the early history might not be recoverable from the lexical data anymore, having been "erased" by later developments. But some of those later phenomena can be usefully studied, as we argue that meaningful inferences can be made with respect to linguistic contact within the Bantu.

We welcome you all to join us via Zoom and we will send around the specific link on the day before the talk.