How to use typological databases in historical linguistic research. Diachronica 24

Abstract

Several databases have been compiled with the aim of documenting the distribution of typological features across the world's languages. is paper looks at ways of utilizing this type of data for making inferences concerning genealogical relationships by using phylogenetic algorithms originally developed for biologists. e focus is on methodology, including how to assess the stability of individual typological features and the suitability of di erent phylogenetic algorithms, as well as ways to enhance phylogenetic signals and heuristic procedures for identifying genealogical relationships. e various issues are illustrated by a small sample of empirical data from a set of Native American languages