This accessible, hands-on introduction to historical linguistics - the study of language change - does not just talk about topics. With abundant examples and exercises, it helps students learn for themselves how to do historical linguistics.Distinctive to the book is its integration of the standard traditional topics with others now considered vital to historical linguistics: explanation of 'why' languages change; sociolinguistic aspects of linguistic change; syntactic change and grammaticalization; distant genetic relationships (how to show that languages are related); areal linguistics; and linguistic prehistory. Examples come from a wide range of languages. Those from the history of more familiar languages such as English, French, German and Spanish make the concepts they illustrate more accessible, while others from numerous non-Indo-European languages help to demonstrate the depth and richness of the concepts and methods they illustrate. With its lucid and engaging style, expert guidance and comprehensive coverage, Historical Linguistics: An Introduction is not only an invaluable textbook for students coming to the subject for the first time, but also an entertaining and engaging read for specialists in the field.Features* Practical hands-on approach including numerous student exercises* Wide range of languages and examples* Accessible writing style aimed at beginning students* Comprehensive and insightful coverage of essential topics* Established textbook author, highly well-known scholar in this field.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
Thanks to his practical approach, Campbell's book has a clear edge as the most useful practical introduction to the subject for beginners - and for more advanced students and specialists ... Among the topics neglected in older textbooks that receive appropriate attention in Campbell's introduction are areal linguistics and its implications; critical evaluation of proposals of distant genetic relationship; linguistic prehistory (including vocabulary recovery of the protolanguage and search for its homeland); and the role of philology in its various aspects. On the whole, the book appears to be remarkably reliable, especially in view of the wide range of languages covered. -- Asko Parpola * Times Higher Education Supplement * Thanks to his practical approach, Campbell's book has a clear edge as the most useful practical introduction to the subject for beginners - and for more advanced students and specialists ... Among the topics neglected in older textbooks that receive appropriate attention in Campbell's introduction are areal linguistics and its implications; critical evaluation of proposals of distant genetic relationship; linguistic prehistory (including vocabulary recovery of the protolanguage and search for its homeland); and the role of philology in its various aspects. On the whole, the book appears to be remarkably reliable, especially in view of the wide range of languages covered. -- Asko Parpola
Auflage
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Für Beruf und Forschung
Maße
Höhe: 234 mm
Breite: 156 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-7486-1905-4 (9780748619054)
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Schweitzer Klassifikation
Lyle Campbell is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.
Autor*in
Professor of LinguisticsUniversity of Hawai'i at Manoa
1. Introduction; 2. Sound Change; 3. Borrowing; 4. Analogical Change; 5. The Comparative Method and Linguistic Reconstruction; 6. Linguistic Classification; 7. Models of Linguistic Change; 8. Internal Reconstruction; 9. Syntactic Change; 10. Semantic Change and Lexical Change; 11. Explaining Linguistic Change; 12. Areal Linguistics; 13. Distant Genetic Relationship; 14. Philology: The Role of Written Records; 15. Linguistic Prehistory; Bibliography.
