Principios Básicos para el Estudio Geolingüístico de la Variación

Abstract

A paradigm whose existence as a fi eld of study is older than that of the covariation of linguistic and social phenomena is the relationship between the spatial diffusion of linguistic phenomena and geographical factors (such as geographical features and communication networks). However, its systematic observation and the application of models from Human Geography to improve the description and explanation of the geographical distribution and behaviour of linguistic phenomena is rather recent. The aim of this paper is to show the infl uence of space (in addition to the social, context and time dimensions) in the geographical diffusion of linguistic innovations emerged from linguistic change. Crucial for purpose is to explore the incorporation of principles, fi ndings and methods from Human Geography into the analysis and prediction of geographical diffusion models of sociolinguistic innovations resulted from linguistic change, as well as to examine their usefulness to the (socio)linguist.