Do languages become less complex with more new adult speakers? A new study challenges this assumption and shows that it’s not that simple. Grammatical structures of 37 languages reveal that the number of new adult speakers did not affect the complexity, but rather the type and source of the speakers did. Language change is influenced by many factors, such as social, historical, and cognitive contexts.

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https://theconversation.com/do-languages-become-less-complex-with-more-new-adult-speakers-research-shows-its-not-that-simple-211732?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=HariTulsidas%2Fmagazine%2FMind+and+Matter

Do languages become less complex with more new adult speakers? Research shows it’s not that simple

The idea a language should grow simpler if people need to learn it as adults has an intuitive appeal. But an analysis of more than 1,200 languages shows this doesn’t quite stack up.

The Conversation