Areal linguistics

Areal linguistics is the study of how languages influence each other when they come into contact in the same geographic area. Instead of focusing solely on the history of a language family, it examines how features—such as vocabulary, pronunciation, or grammar—spread across neighboring languages due to social interaction, trade, or migration. This approach helps linguists understand regional similarities and cultural exchanges, highlighting the dynamic way languages change and adapt through proximity, rather than solely through their ancestral relationships.