研究发现多数语言的数词系统效率低于预期，揭示语言演化中的效率悖论。
How communicatively optimal are exact numeral systems? Once more on lexicon size and morphosyntactic complexity
- 通过区分可预测与不可预测的形态变异，重新评估数词系统效率
- 52种语言数据显示，多数语言数词表达更复杂，效率偏低
- 挑战语言最优进化假说，适用于语言类型学与演化研究者
近期研究认为，精确递归数词系统通过平衡数词词库规模与数词形式的平均形态复杂度（大致为音节长度），实现了沟通效率的优化。本文指出，以往研究未充分考虑语言间复杂度差异。基于52种遗传多样语言的数据，采用区分可预测与不可预测异形（形态变异）的标注方案，我们发现许多世界语言的数词系统明显低于预期效率。这一结果对数词系统研究及语言演化理论具有重要启示。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Recent research argues that exact recursive numeral systems optimize communicative efficiency by balancing a tradeoff between the size of the numeral lexicon and the average morphosyntactic complexity (roughly length in morphemes) of numeral terms. We argue that previous studies have not characterized the data in a fashion that accounts for the degree of complexity languages display. Using data from 52 genetically diverse languages and an annotation scheme distinguishing between predictable and unpredictable allomorphy (formal variation), we show that many of the world's languages are decisively less efficient than one would expect. We discuss the implications of our findings for the study of numeral systems and linguistic evolution more generally.
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