Authors
Andrew John, Kei-Mu Yi, Thomas Jefferson Center for Political Economy
Publication date
1997
Publisher
Federal reserve bank of New York
Description
Language is a fundamental tool for communication of ideas between people, and so is an essential input into production and trade. In general, a society will possess more production and consumption opportunities when all its members share a common language. Neighboring societies and communities likewise have a strong incentive to utilize a common language, and indeed there are countless examples of language assimilation, especially in the last one hundred years. Hence, it is puzzling that more assimilation has not occurred. History has recorded numerous examples of communities that coexist with distinct languages and limited economic interaction.
Total citations
Scholar articles
A John, KM Yi - FRB of New York Staff Report, 1997