Linguistic Typology and Language Contact

This article concentrates on two domains in which linguistic typology and language contact can be related to each other: cross-linguistic research on contact-induced change and research on areal phenomena. It also evaluates the extent to which cross-linguistic research on contact phenomena lives up to the standards of the typological enterprise in general, which does not normally limit itself to discovering patterns, but also tries to find reasonable language-internal and language-external explanations for them. Next, the several approaches to the issues within what has been called ‘areal typology’ are investigated. The article specifically addresses some points where micro- and macroperspectives on areal phenomena can complement each other. Research on language contact and on typology – in particular, on areal typology – can be seen as a window onto the history of language speakers. The domains of linguistic typology and language contact share interest in human language as a phenomenon.