Phylogenetic Methods And The Prehistory Of Languages (mcdonald Institute Monographs)
by Colin Renfrew /
2006 / English / DjVu
6.3 MB Download
Evolutionary ('phylogenetic') trees were first used to infer lost
histories nearly two centuries ago by manuscript scholars
reconstructing original texts. Today, computer methods are enabling
phylogenetic trees to transform genetics, historical linguistics
and even the archaeological study of artefact shapes and styles.
But which phylogenetic methods are best suited to retracing the
evolution of languages? And which types of language data are most
informative about deep prehistory? In this book, leading
specialists engage with these key questions. Essential reading for
linguists, geneticists and archaeologists, these studies
demonstrate how phylogenetic tools are illuminating previously
intractable questions about language prehistory. This innovative
volume arose from a conference of linguists, geneticists and
archaeologists held at Cambridge in 2004.
Evolutionary ('phylogenetic') trees were first used to infer lost
histories nearly two centuries ago by manuscript scholars
reconstructing original texts. Today, computer methods are enabling
phylogenetic trees to transform genetics, historical linguistics
and even the archaeological study of artefact shapes and styles.
But which phylogenetic methods are best suited to retracing the
evolution of languages? And which types of language data are most
informative about deep prehistory? In this book, leading
specialists engage with these key questions. Essential reading for
linguists, geneticists and archaeologists, these studies
demonstrate how phylogenetic tools are illuminating previously
intractable questions about language prehistory. This innovative
volume arose from a conference of linguists, geneticists and
archaeologists held at Cambridge in 2004.