Linguistic and memory correlates of societal variation: A quantitative analysis

Traditionally, researchers have proposed a uniformitarian view that all languages are roughly equally complex, via an internal trade-off between the complexity at different levels, such as morphology and syntax. The extent to which the societies where the speakers live influence the trade-off has not been well studied. In this paper, we focus on morphology and syntax, and report significant correlations between specific linguistic and societal features, in particular those relating to exoteric (open) vs. esoteric (close-knit) society types, characterizable in terms of population size, mobility, communication across distances, etc. We conducted an exhaustive quantitative analysis drawing upon WALS, D-Place, Ethnologue and Glottolog. Our results find some support for our hypothesis that languages spoken by exoteric societies tend towards more complex syntaxes, while languages spoken by esoteric societies tend towards more complex morphologies. Our hypothesis, as well as the interpretation of the results, are informed to some extent by the differential involvement of procedural vs. declarative memory types in the processing of syntax and morphology.