Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek
This study investigates the interplay between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in language contact scenarios, focusing on <i>inner Asia Minor Greek</i> (iAMGr), a dialect cluster influenced by Turkish and isolated from other Greek-speaking regions. Using dialectometric techniques,...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Stavros Bompolas Dimitra Melissaropoulou |
| author_facet | Stavros Bompolas Dimitra Melissaropoulou |
| author_sort | Stavros Bompolas |
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| description | This study investigates the interplay between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in language contact scenarios, focusing on <i>inner Asia Minor Greek</i> (iAMGr), a dialect cluster influenced by Turkish and isolated from other Greek-speaking regions. Using dialectometric techniques, we quantified the dialect distances—encompassing both grammatical and lexical features, many of which reflect foreign interference—between nineteen iAMGr varieties. A regression analysis was then employed to evaluate the impact of geographic, demographic, and other macro-social factors on these distances. The results reveal distinct patterns. The grammatical features show a substantial divergence between communities, linked to structural borrowing and primarily influenced by the dominant group’s population size and degree of contact (low- vs. high-contact variety types). In contrast, lexical features exhibit greater convergence, primarily influenced by geography, linked to the susceptibility of lexical borrowing to casual contact. Unlike previous dialectometric studies that report a strong correlation between geographic and dialect distances, our findings suggest that geography’s influence varies by linguistic level, being more pronounced in lexical distances. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that certain dialect-specific factors previously identified in qualitative studies on iAMGr are statistically insignificant. The study concludes that, while geography remains relevant, macro-social factors often play a more critical role in language contact settings, particularly in shaping grammatical distances. These findings provide new insights into the determinants of dialect distances in such contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-33333239336c48fdb56ec32c9aeb05d5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2226-471X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Languages |
| spelling | doaj-art-33333239336c48fdb56ec32c9aeb05d52025-01-24T13:38:23ZengMDPI AGLanguages2226-471X2025-01-011011310.3390/languages10010013Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor GreekStavros Bompolas0Dimitra Melissaropoulou1Archimedes, Athena Research Center, 15125 Athens, GreeceSchool of Italian Language and Literature, Faculty of Philosophy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceThis study investigates the interplay between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in language contact scenarios, focusing on <i>inner Asia Minor Greek</i> (iAMGr), a dialect cluster influenced by Turkish and isolated from other Greek-speaking regions. Using dialectometric techniques, we quantified the dialect distances—encompassing both grammatical and lexical features, many of which reflect foreign interference—between nineteen iAMGr varieties. A regression analysis was then employed to evaluate the impact of geographic, demographic, and other macro-social factors on these distances. The results reveal distinct patterns. The grammatical features show a substantial divergence between communities, linked to structural borrowing and primarily influenced by the dominant group’s population size and degree of contact (low- vs. high-contact variety types). In contrast, lexical features exhibit greater convergence, primarily influenced by geography, linked to the susceptibility of lexical borrowing to casual contact. Unlike previous dialectometric studies that report a strong correlation between geographic and dialect distances, our findings suggest that geography’s influence varies by linguistic level, being more pronounced in lexical distances. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that certain dialect-specific factors previously identified in qualitative studies on iAMGr are statistically insignificant. The study concludes that, while geography remains relevant, macro-social factors often play a more critical role in language contact settings, particularly in shaping grammatical distances. These findings provide new insights into the determinants of dialect distances in such contexts.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/1/13dialectometryregression analysisinner Asia Minor GreekCappadocianPharasiotSilliot |
| spellingShingle | Stavros Bompolas Dimitra Melissaropoulou Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek Languages dialectometry regression analysis inner Asia Minor Greek Cappadocian Pharasiot Silliot |
| title | Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek |
| title_full | Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek |
| title_fullStr | Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek |
| title_short | Understanding Dialectal Variation in Contact Scenarios Through Dialectometry: Insights from Inner Asia Minor Greek |
| title_sort | understanding dialectal variation in contact scenarios through dialectometry insights from inner asia minor greek |
| topic | dialectometry regression analysis inner Asia Minor Greek Cappadocian Pharasiot Silliot |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/1/13 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stavrosbompolas understandingdialectalvariationincontactscenariosthroughdialectometryinsightsfrominnerasiaminorgreek AT dimitramelissaropoulou understandingdialectalvariationincontactscenariosthroughdialectometryinsightsfrominnerasiaminorgreek |