Lexical Replacement and Core Vocabulary Stability in Language Evolution

Abstract

Language, as a dynamic and evolving system, undergoes continual changes at multiple levels, including phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Among these, lexical change -specifically lexical replacement - offers unique insight into both the mechanisms of language evolution and the stability of linguistic systems over time. Lexical replacement refers to the phenomenon whereby words in a language’s vocabulary are systematically replaced by alternative expressions, either from within the same language or through borrowing from other languages. Despite this flux, certain subsets of vocabulary, often termed core vocabulary, exhibit remarkable stability across centuries, providing a foundation for linguistic continuity and comparability