Which phrase does NOT contribute to understanding language distribution on maps?

Understanding language distribution on maps involves recognizing factors that influence how languages spread and vary across different regions. The differences between American and British English reflect variations in vocabulary, pronunciation, and usage that have developed over time, largely influenced by culture rather than geographic distribution.

In contrast, historical trade routes, colonial expansion, and population migration patterns directly affect the geographical spread and distribution of languages. Trade routes facilitated interactions between different linguistic groups, leading to language borrowing and the spread of languages. Colonial expansion often resulted in the imposition of the colonizer's language on indigenous populations, significantly altering the linguistic landscape of colonized regions. Similarly, population migration patterns, such as the movement of people from one place to another, can lead to the diffusion of languages and the emergence of multilingual societies.

Thus, the differences between American and British English do not contribute to an understanding of the broader distribution of languages on a map, as they are more about the internal variations of a specific language rather than the geographic factors influencing language distribution.