The spatial network properties of endangered languages (Lee) | SOAS University of London
Channel: SOAS University of London
Date: 2022-07-01

Note: This talk has not gone through a process of peer review, and findings should therefore be treated as preliminary and subject to change.

SOAS Linguistics webinars
The spatial network properties of endangered languages

Nala H. Lee
National University of Singapore

Abstract: Spatial network analysis of 3,423 endangered languages (represented in the Endangered Languages Catalogue, www.endangeredlanguages.com) is undertaken at three levels. At the macro level, using an assortativity measure, critically endangered languages were found to be surrounded by other critically endangered languages, indicating the presence of endangerment hotspots. Meso-level community detection analysis returned 13 communities or hotspots. At the micro-level, closeness centrality is measured. Languages with high closeness centrality tend to be “centrally” located in the network, and conversely, languages with low centrality tend to be on the periphery of it. More geographically isolated languages are found to have higher endangerment values.

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6786680