The mathematical models of glottochronology

Abstract

Glottochronology makes certain general statements about historical processes in linguistics and sets up mathematical models which are declared to correspond to the processes. These models are presented in the form of algebraic equations. Numerical data are then collected from particular historical situations and put into the equations, whence numerical results are derived which are then converted into specific historical statements. It is the thesis of the present paper that the mathematical models which these equations represent do not correspond sufficiently to the general statements, that they are therefore inadequate models, and that the results obtained by using them are unreliable in proportion as the models are defective.

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