Language Complexity Across Societies: A Comparative Study of 1,314 Languages
A study conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology measured the grammatical complexity of 1,314 languages and examined the influence of social environments on language evolution. Contrary to previous claims, the study found that societies of strangers, characterized by larger populations and more non-native speakers, do not speak less complex languages. The research highlights the importance of using large-scale data and considering factors such as genealogical inheritance and contact when studying the evolution of languages.