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This paper introduces a systematic geographical clustering method for identifying language areas, addressing the limitations of existing macroareas that rely on expert determinations. By moving beyond traditional continental boundaries, the method allows for the identification of language areas of arbitrary size, enhancing the understanding of linguistic contact and typological research. The results show that the newly defined macroareas align closely with established groupings while also revealing local groupings for a specific sprachbund, thus providing a more nuanced view of language interactions.
A novel clustering method reveals that language areas can be systematically identified, challenging traditional macroarea definitions based solely on continents. WHY_IT MATTERS: This approach could transform linguistic typology by providing a more accurate framework for analyzing language contact and inheritance patterns.
Macroareas are geographical areas used in typological research for grouping variables of interest. In linguistic typology, languages in a given macroarea are considered to have potential for contact, in contrast to those outside the area, where contact is less likely. Along with language family membership, macroareas are used as controls for models in linguistic typology, in an attempt to address the problem of autocorrelation - the observation that historical developments or typological patterns may be due to contact between neighboring languages and/or inheritance from a common ancestral language. Macroareas are therefore a central aspect of research that seeks to separate universal properties of language from local (or language-specific) properties. Existing macroareas largely depend on expert determinations of what constitutes a geographical area of potential contact, and to date have mainly aligned with continents or landmasses (Hammarstr\"om and Donohue 2014; Nichols, Witzlack-Makarevich, and Bickel 2013). While there are various historical and theoretical reasons for these groupings, there as of yet has been no systematic approach to identifying such areas for a given region. This paper attempts to address such a gap and move beyond macroarea to identification of language areas of relatively arbitrary size, presenting a simple geographical clustering method for identifying groupings over any area. The method produces a set of worldwide macroareas that largely align with existing groupings, as well as local groupings for a well-known sprachbund.