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Why Linguistic Change Begins: Pressure, Resistance, and Actuation

by Best Joshua

Posted: September 11, 2026
Server: Zenodo
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22712648

This preprint introduces a causal mechanism for sound change based on pressure, resistance, and tipping thresholds. It explains actuation as the moment when accumulated pressure finally exceeds resistance, destabilising the existing state and triggering a rapid cascade. The model accounts for long periods of stability, sudden historical shifts, and accelerated change during weakened social resistance.

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