Problems in Quantitative Linguistics 5

Just published:

Studies in Quantitative Linguistics 21:

„Problems in Quantitative Linguistics 5“

Contents Studies 21 (free of charge)

Preface

 The present volume is a continuation of the series dedicated to all linguists who want to solve linguistic problems in a non-classical way. Elementary knowledge of statistics is a necessary condition, however, even a collection of data in the prescribed way could be helpful for solving some problems. The comparisons, tests, finding a function or distribution can be made by a statistician but the linguistic background knowledge must be furnished by the Linguist.

The volume is appropriate especially for those who try to enter the field of quantitative linguistics and seek the door leading to elementary Problems.

The present volume contains 90 problems. To each problem some referen­ces are recommended but the reader can solve them in his own way. Unfortunate­ly, qualitative linguistics contains many concepts and classifications rooted in opinions and leading to different descriptions. In the present volume the reader is forced to perform tests which corroborate or reject the primary concept formation and force him to create new data based on different definitions, concepts, criteria etc. The basic requirement is the testing of everything one says.

It is recommended to publish the results in a quantitative linguistics journal. In any case, all numbers should be presented in order to give other linguists the possibility of testing other hypotheses or to subsume the accepted results in a deeper theory.

Gabriel Altmann