The History of Languages

Name: The History of Languages
Price: 61.95 AUD
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ISBN: 9780199604296

An Introduction

Tore Janson

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Address book

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English

Oxford University Press
03 November 2011

linguistics; Historical & comparative linguistics

Series: Oxford Textbooks in Linguistics

This is an introduction to the history of languages, from the distant past to a glimpse at what languages may be like in the distant future. It looks at how languages arise, change, and ultimately vanish, and what lies behind their different destinies. What happens to languages, he argues, has to do with what happens to the people who use them, and what happens to people, individually and collectively, is affected by the languages they speak. The book opens by examining what languages the hunter-gatherers might have spoken and the changes to language that took place when agriculture made settled communities possible. It then looks at the effects of the invention of writing, the formation of empires, the spread of religions, and the recent dominance of world powers, and shows how these relate to great changes in the use of languages. Tore Janson discusses the appearance of new languages, the reasons why some languages spread and others die, considers whether similar cyclical processes are found at different times and places, and examines the causes of internal changes in languages and dialects. The book ranges widely among the world's languages and mixes thematic chapters on general processes of change with accounts of specific languages, including Chinese, Arabic, Latin, Greek, and English.

By: Tore Janson
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 245mm, Width: 174mm, Spine: 40mm
Weight: 523g
ISBN: 9780199604296
ISBN 10: 0199604290
Series: Oxford Textbooks in Linguistics
Publication Date: 03 November 2011
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Address book
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for The History of Languages: An Introduction

A highly readable introduction to the history of languages intended for students and general readers with an interest in history, anthropology, politics and linguistics ... In sum, this textbook reinforces the idea that the study of language is linked to the study of history and society. It is appropriate for an introductory course in historical linguistics (though supplemental readings in historical phonology and morphology would need to be included in the syllabus), and it will give the student a solid overview of how societal changes effect language, as well as spark interest in a wide variety of topics such as language policy, language contact and language shift. * Jason P. Doroga, Linguist List * A very useful university handbook[The author] does not shy away from complex or controversial issues. Instead, these issues are put forward with interest, presenting to the reader the most recent scientific contributions to difficult topics with caution and moderation. * Journal of Historical Linguistics *