On principles and practices of language classification

Ekaterina Chirkova (1)

1 CRLAO - Centre de Recherches Linguistiques sur l'Asie Orientale

This article is an overview of issues in language classification, in particular in connection with three subgroups of the Sino-Tibetan language family: Tibetic, Sinitic and Qiangic. First, I discuss the practical application of currently prevalent classifications of Tibetic, Sinitic and Qiangic languages. Then, with reference to insights from classification practices in biology, I review alternatives for a practical classification in linguistics.

Mots clés: language classification; genetic classification; Tibetan; Sinitic; Qiangic

Domaines: Linguistique

Ekaterina Chirkova. On principles and practices of language classification. Guangshun Cao, Hilary Chappell, Redouane Djamouri, and Thekla Wiebusch. Breaking Down the Barriers: Interdisciplinary Studies in Chinese Linguistics and Beyond 綜古述今 鉤深取極, 2, Taipei: Academia Sinica, Institute of Linguistics 中央研究院 語言學研究所, pp.715-734, 2013, Language Linguistics Monograph Series 50 《語言曁語言學》專刊系列之五十. ⟨hal-00484091⟩