Understanding ethnolinguistic differences: The roles of geography and trade

The Economic Journal • Vol/Iss. 132(643) • Oxford University Press • • Published In • Pages: 1-28 •
By Dickens, Andrew

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship of productive variation in land between ethnic groups to determine if an increased range of producible goods will increase trade, thus decreasing language diversity between neighboring groups. The author initially found that high-variation in land production lessened the diversity of language between ethnic groups in that area. To further test this correlation, the author found that high-productive variation increased trade and exogamous marriage and decreased inter-ethnic conflict. Based on these findings, the author suggests that neighboring ethnic languages co-evolved through the economic benefit of inter-ethnic trade and social interaction.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
Standard Cross Cultural Sample (SCCS)Other researchers
EthnologueResearcher's own
Ancestral characteristics of modern populations (Guiliano and Nunn 2018)Other researchers

Hypotheses (6)

HypothesisSupported
High land productivity variation will be associated with less language difference between neighboring ethnic groups.Supported
Agriculture will be more common in high-productivity regions when compared to non-agricultural subsistence activities.Supported
Non-agricultural subsistence will be more common in areas with low productive land when compared to agriculture.Partially supported (2 of 3)
Post-1500 ethnic groups residing in land with high-productive variation will have increased inter-ethnic trade for subsistence and food.Supported
Post-1500 ethnic groups residing in land with high-productive variation will have increased exogamous inter-ethnic marriage.Supported
Post-1500 ethnic groups residing in land with high-productive variation will have less inter-ethnic conflict.Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: danielle.russell  seb.wanggaouette