Unbalanced comparative patterns in historical linguistics: Theoretical implications and explanatory mechanisms for their development

To gain new insights on mechanisms of language change and diversification, the work presented in this thesis investigates theoretical issues in historical linguistics from a novel, transdisciplinary perspective combining psycholinguistics, computational cognitive modelling, and multi-agent simulations. The thesis lays the foundations for a long-term research program which aims to develop a theoretical framework built on the notion of balance, serving as the central reference point in interpreting comparative linguistic patterns. The most significant contribution of the thesis is the identification of a previously undetected cognitive bias in bilingual lexical selection which can lead to unbalanced pattterns stemming from rapid lexical divergence.