science

Lexibank

Lexibank is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lexibank rather than just read about it. In short: Lexibank is a linguistics database managed by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. The database consists of over 100 standardized wordlists (datasets) that are independently curated.

Key takeaways

Lexibank belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lexibank to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lexibank from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Lexibank is a linguistics database managed by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. The database consists of over 100 standardized wordlists (datasets) that are independently curated.

Description Lexibank datasets are presented in the Cross-Linguistic Data Format (CLDF). Phonological and lexical features are automatically computed in Lexibank. The datasets are publicly accessible and are archived at Zenodo and are also publicly available on GitHub. Lexibank is also part of the Cross-Linguistic Linked Data project. All of the datasets are released under the CC BY 4.0 license. Applications of the database include historical linguistics and comparative phonology.

List of datasets The following is a list of Lexibank (version 0.2) datasets as of 17 June 2022.

Bibliography Erben Johansson, Niklas; Anikin, Andrey; Carling, Gerd; Holmer, Arthur (2020-08-27). "The typology of sound symbolism: Defining macro-concepts via their semantic and phonetic features". Linguistic Typology. 24 (2): 253–310. doi:10.1515/lingty-2020-2034. ISSN 1430-0532. (Supplementary material)

References

External links Official website Lexibank community on Zenodo Master list of wordlist datasets Glottobank

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lexibank

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lexibank claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lexibank before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lexibank ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lexibank

In research: Lexibank appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lexibank in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lexibank is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Cross-Linguistic Linked Data, Lexical databases, Linguistics databases, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lexibank outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Lexibank in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lexibank means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lexibank out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lexibank in simple terms?

Why does Lexibank matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lexibank?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lexibank.