Comparative Reconstruction Probabilistically

...a stronger affinity than could possibly have been produced by accident

Abstract

While the comparative method is the uncontroversial gold standard for establishing genetic relationships between languages, there exists no quantitative measure of its applications. Nevertheless, uncertainty about reconstructions of greater time-depth is commonplace. In my dissertation, I introduce a quantitative evaluation metric for comparative reconstructions. The primary goal of the project is to develop a platform for objective and accessible debate surrounding spurious reconstructions. In addition, I employ the quantitative metric in a simulated annealing algorithm which finds reconstructions automatically. Finally, the quantitative metric facilitates abstract reasoning about the comparative method itself. For example, it can be shown that languages with longer words, richer phoneme inventories, or looser phonotactics require less evidence to establish a genetic relationship, or that semantic change does comparatively little to obscure a genetic relationship between languages.

References

  • Munteanu, Andrei (2025). Why Proto-World is (likely) not Reconstructible. Langues & Langage à la croisée des Disciplines; 2nd Annual LLcD Conference, September 2nd, 2025. University of Lille, France.
  • Munteanu, Andrei (2025). Automating comparative reconstructions: Case study in Austronesian and Ongan. 27th International Conference on Historical Linguistics, August 18-22nd, 2025, Campus San Joaquín of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Campus Presidente Errázuriz of the University Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile.
  • Munteanu, Andrei (2024). Probabilistic Evaluation of Comparative Reconstruction [doctoral dissertation]. University of Toronto.
  • Munteanu, Andrei (2022). Comparative reconstruction probabilistically: The role of semantic change. 42nd Annual TABU Linguistics Conference, June 8th, 2022, University of Groningen, Netherlands.
  • Munteanu, Andrei (2021). Comparative reconstruction probabilistically: The role of inventory and phonotactics. Annual Meeting on Phonology, October 1st, 2021, University of Toronto, Canada.
  • Munteanu, Andrei (2021). A Union of quantitative and traditional approaches in historical linguistics. 28th Manchester Phonology Meeting, May 26th, 2021, University of Manchester and University of Edinburgh, UK.

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