| Basic vocabulary of Yupik languages: a lexicostatistical analysis |
| Yuri B. Koryakov (Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow; National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow; ybkoryakov@gmail.com) |
| Journal of Language Relationship, № 22/3-4, 2024 - p.296-341 |
| Abstract: This article presents a lexicostatistical classification of Yupik languages included in the Eskaleut family, using 110-item wordlists as the basis for comparison. The study aims to refine and expand upon previous lexicostatistical work on Yupik languages, focusing on semantic clarifications and contextual considerations in compiling the word lists. The study includes new data from recent dictionaries and fieldwork, particularly for the Central Siberian Yupik (CSY). The study improves on earlier works by providing a more nuanced approach to word selection, including synonyms, regional variations, and frequency data. It also broadens the scope of the research by including more dialects, specifically five dialects of Central Alaskan Yup'ik (CAY) and two varieties of Alutiiq. The study’s results generally confirm the classification scheme proposed by Vakhtin and Golovko (1987), with some minor adjustments. For instance, Nunivak Yupik is suggested to be a more divergent variety, potentially warranting separate language status. At the same time, the article discusses serious differences from the work of Mudrak (2008), concerning both the aging of certain linguistic nodes and the topography of the language tree. Annotated 110-word lists are included as a Supplement to the article. |
| Keywords: Yupik languages, Naukan language, lexicostatistics, basic vocabulary, phylogenetic classification, Eskimo-Aleut languages |
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| Supplementary materials The archive includes: - Koryakov (2025)_Yupik_wordlists.xls: complete 110-item wordlists with marked cognation indexes. |