政大語言學/英語教學學術工作坊
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講者：何萬順博士／東海大學外國語文學系林南&蒲慕蓉講座教授、國立政治大學語言學研究所兼任講座教授
題目：Multiplicative Numeral Base Orders in Transition: A Case Study of Formosan Languages Based on GIS Data
摘要：Multiplicative numerals with a multiplier, e.g., three, and a numeral base, e.g., hundred, can be base-final, e.g., three hundred, or base-initial, e.g., ikie ita (hundred three) in Ibibio. Yet, some languages have no multiplicative numerals, while some use both orders. Her et al. (2024) hypothesize that languages with split orders are in an initial-to-final transition, where indigenous base-initial numerals are being overtaken by base-final numerals due to language contact. We test this hypothesis with a case study of Formosan languages of Taiwan, the Austronesian homeland and a mountainous island with altitudes up to 3952m. Among the 25 languages examined, 11 are base-final, 14 are base-split. We first establish that Proto-Austronesian is base-initial and then look for geographic clues indicating that languages maintaining the base-initial feature are less accessible to contact. Results show that all three environmental variables: elevation, distance to coast, and slope, individually predicted base order, but slope was the only significant independent predictor after controlling for elevation and distance to the coast. The findings highlight the role of topographic constraints in shaping typological transitions in numeral systems and support the view that numeral systems with both orders reflect a transitional stage mediated by contact and inheritance.
時間：115年10月21日星期三中午12點30分至下午2點
地點：國立政治大學季陶樓340313語言所視聽會議室
主辦：國立政治大學語言學研究所
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