BEASTling: A software tool for linguistic phylogenetics using BEAST 2.

Area of Science:

• Computational Linguistics
• Bioinformatics
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Bayesian phylogenetic analysis is a powerful tool for understanding language evolution.
• Preparing linguistic data for such analyses can be complex and time-consuming.
• There is a need for accessible tools to bridge the gap between computational modelers and linguists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce BEASTling, an open-source software tool designed to streamline the preparation of Bayesian phylogenetic analyses for linguistic data.
• To enhance the accessibility of Bayesian phylogenetic methods for historical linguists.
• To foster collaboration between computational linguists and domain experts.

Main Methods:

• BEASTling transforms human-readable configuration files into BEAST 2-compatible XML files.
• It integrates with the Glottolog language catalog for data filtering and monophyly constraints.
• Supports the Cross-Linguistic Linked Data (CLDF) format for easy data incorporation.

Main Results:

• BEASTling simplifies dataset preparation for Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of linguistic data.
• The tool facilitates the use of Glottolog data, including language family filtering and geographic data assignment.
• It enables backward compatibility with Glottolog classifications through monophyly constraints.

Conclusions:

• BEASTling lowers the barrier to entry for historical linguists using Bayesian phylogenetic analysis.
• The software promotes greater accessibility and collaboration in the field of computational models of language evolution.
• It facilitates the integration of diverse linguistic datasets into phylogenetic analyses.