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Typology
Typology asks how languages vary and which patterns recur. It provides questions to ask of an ancient corpus, not a licence to fill missing evidence from an unrelated modern language.
Typology
What typology asks
Linguistic typology compares structural patterns across languages. A category such as dominant word order is an analytical summary of a selected sample, not a sentence-by-sentence rule. Before using a typological label, inspect its definition, the corpus behind it and whether the language actually offers enough evidence to classify. A few formulaic inscriptions may not support a claim about ordinary clause order.
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A reading check
Worked question
A chart calls a language “SOV.” What must you inspect before using that label to parse a poem?
Show the analysis
Check how the chart defines dominant order, what genre and clause type were sampled, and whether the poem uses discourse-driven or metrical variation.