language isolation
[ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən]
nounpl: language isolations
isolado linguístico
1. A language that has no demonstrable genealogical relationship to any other known language, or a language whose genetic relationships are unknown or undetermined
Basque is considered a language isolation in Europe, unrelated to any Indo-European language.
O basco é considerado um isolado linguístico na Europa, não relacionado a nenhuma língua indo-europeia.
2. The state or condition of a language being genetically unrelated to other languages
The language isolation of Ainu in Japan has puzzled linguists for centuries.
O isolamento linguístico do ainu no Japão tem intrigado linguistas por séculos.
3. The social or geographical separation of a linguistic community resulting in linguistic distinctness
Language isolation in remote regions can lead to unique dialectal features.
O isolamento linguístico em regiões remotas pode levar a características dialetais únicas.
The concept of language isolation is primarily academic and used in linguistic research, particularly when discussing endangered or unique languages. In Brazil, this term is important in indigenous language studies, as several native languages are classified as language isolates. The term reflects Western linguistic classification systems and the challenge of tracing language origins and relationships.
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