GrammatikIndizes

GrammatikIndizes refers to a family of quantitative measures used in linguistics to capture the grammatical characteristics of a language. The term is used in various studies to denote one or more composite indices constructed from selected grammatical features. There is no single, universally accepted definition, and implementations differ across researchers.

A GrammatikIndex is typically built by selecting grammatical features such as nominal and verbal morphology (inflectional paradigms, case marking, agreement), syntactic flexibility (free word order, subordination), morphological marking of tense, aspect, and mood, evidentiality, negation strategies, and cliticization. Each feature is coded (present/absent, category counts, or scaled measures) and combined with weights into a single score. The resulting index can be designed to reflect overall grammatical complexity, typological diversity, or a specific dimension of grammar. Some approaches yield language-specific scores, while others produce cross-language rankings.

GrammatikIndizes are used to compare languages or track diachronic change, help select languages for documentation, or test hypotheses about the relationship between grammar and other factors such as language contact or socio-economic variables. Results depend on feature selection, weighting, and data quality, so comparability requires transparent methodology and awareness of biases.

Limitations: Critics argue that any single index oversimplifies grammar and may conflate different dimensions of complexity. Data availability, descriptive adequacy, and cultural-linguistic biases influence scores. Consequently, GrammatikIndizes are generally best used alongside qualitative descriptions and other metrics.