cline
\ klahyn \, noun;
1.Linguistics . (in systemic linguistics) a scale of continuous gradation; continuum.
2.Biology . the gradual change in certain characteristics exhibited by members of a series of adjacent populations of organisms of the same species.
Quotes:
The cline of register, then, represents the progression followed by social groups and individuals as the meanings which they exchange develop an increasing cognitive and functional complexity.
-- Helen Leckie-Tarry, "Language and Context," 1995
We can best begin with a concrete illustration: the frequencies of inclusive/exclusive oppositions, which now form a global cline .
-- Johanna Nichols, "Linguistic Diversity in Space and Time," 1992
Origin:
Cline is derived from the Greek word klīnein . It entered English in the 1930s.
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