Language Typology

Language typology is a subfield of linguistics that classifies the world's languages according to their shared structural and functional features, irrespective of their historical or genetic relationships. By comparing patterns across diverse languages—such as basic word order (e.g., Subject-Verb-Object), morphological systems (how words are formed), and phonological inventories—typologists seek to establish linguistic universals, or principles common to all languages. This comparative approach not only documents the full scope of possible variation but also provides profound insights into the cognitive faculties that shape human communication.