On the East Dardic language group

Anton Kogan (Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, kogan_anton@yahoo.com); Mikhail Vasilyev (Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, mvhumanity@gmail.com)

Journal of Language Relationship, № 10, 2013 - p.149-178

Abstract: The paper addresses the issue of the genetic classification of Dardic languages. Special attention is paid to the problem of genetic relations between the languages that are traditionally grouped together as “East Dardic”. To solve this problem, two different lexicostatistical approaches are suggested: the specific version of the neighbour-joining algorithm and a statistical method, based on the average deviation criterion. After the comparative analysis of the resulting genetic trees the authors discuss the issue of the historical background and finally conclude that the “East Dardic” group forms a single and separate branch among the Dardic languages.

Keywords: Dardic languages, language classification, historical phonology, etymology, lexicostatistics, neighbour-joining method

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