Editing Punctuated equilibrium (section)

==Language change==
{{See also|Language change}}
In linguistics, [[R. M. W. Dixon]] has proposed a punctuated equilibrium model for language histories,<ref>Dixon, R.M.W. (1997). ''The rise and fall of languages'' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.</ref> with reference particularly to the prehistory of the [[indigenous languages of Australia]] and his objections to the proposed [[Pama–Nyungan languages|Pama–Nyungan]] language family there. Although his model has raised considerable interest, it does not command majority support within linguistics.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Australian Languages|volume=249|date=2004-03-18|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company|isbn=9789027295118|editor-last=Bowern|editor-first=Claire|language=en|doi=10.1075/cilt.249|editor2-last=Koch|editor2-first=Harold|series=Current Issues in Linguistic Theory}}</ref>

Separately, recent work using [[computational phylogenetics|computational phylogenetic]] methods claims to show that punctuational bursts play an important factor when [[language change|languages split from one another]], accounting for anywhere from 10 to 33% of the total divergence in vocabulary.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Atkinson |first1=Quentin D. |last2=Meade |first2=Andrew |last3=Venditti |first3=Chris |last4=Greenhill |first4=Simon J. |last5=Pagel |first5=Mark |date=2008 |title=Languages Evolve in Punctuational Bursts |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |doi=10.1126/science.1149683 |pmid=18239118 |volume=319 |issue=5863 |page=588 |hdl=1885/33371 |s2cid=29740420 |hdl-access=free }}; Dan Dediu mail, Stephen C. Levinson, [http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0045198 Abstract Profiles of Structural Stability Point to Universal Tendencies, Family-Specific Factors, and Ancient Connections between Languages], ''PLoS ONE'',7(9), 2012, e451982012.</ref>