A Study of Areal and Genealogical Distribution of Word Order around the World

在这项研究中，我制作了一个大约3000种语言的语序数据表，一个语序分布的系谱表，以及全球各地区语序分布的地图，这些都是世界上最大的。通过分析，我在本研究中论证了以下几点。当从区域类型学的角度考虑语序时，我们发现只有两种或三种语序类型，即一致的VO类型和一致或次一致的OV类型占据了全球广阔的连续区域。虽然有许多语言的语序不一致，但没有一种不一致类型占据如此大的连续区域，它们通常位于一致类型周围，具有一些地理或历时因素：不同类型之间的语言接触或从一种一致类型向另一种一致类型的过渡。因此，我们可以认为一致类型仍然是人类语言的基本、理想或原型类型，而不一致类型是典型的过渡类型，仅存在于一致词序类型的外围区域。目前，一致VO型的面积几乎与一致OV型的面积一样大。然而，当从历史的角度考虑分布时，很可能在新石器时代之后主要语族开始扩张之前，大部分地区已经被(S) ov型语言覆盖，并且VO型语言的区域已经非常有限。虽然在学习期间我已经发表了几篇论文，但我打算更深入地研究词序的地域分布和系谱分布，并就此主题写一本书。

In this study, I have made a list of data on word order from around 3,000 languages, a list of its genealogical distribution, and maps of word order distributions in each area on the globe, all of which are the largest in the world. Analyzing them, I have demonstrated the following points in the present study.When the word order is considered from an areal-typological point of view, we find that only two or three word order types, namely, consistent VO, and consistent or subconsistent OV types occupy vast continuous areas on the globe. Although there exist a number of languages with inconsistent word order, none of the inconsistent types occupies such a large continuous area, and they are usually located around consistent types with some geographical or diachronic factors : language contact between different types or transition from one consistent type to another. Thus, we can consider the consistent types to be still significant as basic, ideal, or prototypical types of human languages, and inconsistent types to be typically transitional types, which exist only in peripheral areas of consistent word order types.Currently, the areas of consistent VO type are almost as large as those of consistent OV type. When the distribution is considered from a historical point of view, however, it is very likely that most of the areas had been covered with (S)OV-type languages and that the areas of VO type had been very restricted before major language families began to expand after the Neolithic age.Although I have already published several papers during this study, I intend to study the areal and genealogical distribution on word order more intensively, and write a book on the topic.