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Evolution of the Ainu language in space and time
1Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. seanlee@darwin.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Plos One
|May 3, 2013
Summary
The Ainu language, spoken in Japan, likely originated from a common ancestor in northern Hokkaido around 1300 years ago. This finding supports the Okhotsk migration
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Population Genetics
- Archaeology
Background:
- The evolutionary history of language offers insights into human population history.
- The Ainu language, spoken by an indigenous group in Japan, is endangered.
- Conventional models suggest Ainu descend from Pleistocene Southeast Asian lineages (Jomon).
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct the spatiotemporal evolution of the Ainu language.
- To investigate the impact of the Okhotsk people on Ainu origins.
- To refine existing models of Ainu population history.
Main Methods:
- Bayesian phylogeographic methods applied to linguistic data.
- Analysis of 19 Ainu language varieties preserved from five decades ago.
- Integration of linguistic findings with archaeological, anthropological, and genetic evidence.
Main Results:
- The Ainu language varieties analyzed trace back to a common ancestor.
- This common ancestor likely spread from northern Hokkaido approximately 1300 years ago.
- Phylogeographic analysis supports a significant Okhotsk contribution to Ainu origins.
Conclusions:
- The Ainu language's evolution is linked to the Okhotsk migration into Hokkaido.
- The findings necessitate a revision of the conventional dual-structure model for Ainu origins.
- Linguistic phylogeography provides crucial evidence for understanding human demographic history.
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