ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-CORE-242-026 · ATLAS 251

Glossolalia

The production of speech-like sound sequences without stable lexical meaning for listeners, often interpreted religiously.

Explanation

The production of speech-like sound sequences without stable lexical meaning for listeners, often interpreted religiously. It separates the experience of speaking from ordinary semantic intelligibility and shifts meaning to voice, rhythm, and event.

Example

The voice flows in rhythmic syllables that cannot be assigned to a known language.

Counterexample

Merely mentioning “Glossolalia” without the described function is not a sufficient example.

Distinction

Do not equate it with all unintelligible speech; glossolalia is a specific performative and often religious practice.

Effect on thought and perception

It separates the experience of speaking from ordinary semantic intelligibility and shifts meaning to voice, rhythm, and event.

Resonance

In the atlas, Glossolalia closes 1 previously unresolved reference line(s) and opens controlled paths of thought.

Etymology

Technical core term; individual etymological review pending

Provenance

ATLAS 241 residual-case triage → profile candidate 241-A → source and neighbourhood cross-check → ATLAS 242

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Glossolalia“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-CORE-242-026. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-CORE-242-026

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-CORE-242-026

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