Linguistic Archaeology

An Introduction and Methodological Guide

Gerd Carling

$273

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English

Routledge
22 May 2024

Sociolinguistics; Historical & comparative linguistics; Literature: history & criticism; Archaeology; Human geography

Linguistic Archaeology provides students with an accessible introduction to the field of linguistic archaeology, both as theoretical framework and methodological toolkit, for understanding the conceptual foundations and practical considerations involved in reconstructing the prehistory of language.

The book introduces the field’s expansion out of traditional approaches to focus more on the interplay of related disciplines and the reconstruction of human language beyond the written period. The opening chapter outlines key theories and charts their development from the nineteenth century through to today, drawing on work from computational historical linguistics, phylogenetics, and linguistic anthropology. Subsequent chapters build on theory to take a hands-on approach in mining empirical data in the process of reconstructing language prehistory, including references, links, and instructions to open access resources, and offering a step-by-step guide for employing the rich range of available methods in working with this data. Closing chapters situate theory and method in context against chronological and geographic perspectives and look ahead to future trajectories for continued progress in this emerging area of study.

Offering a holistic entry point into linguistic archaeology, this innovative volume will be a helpful resource for students in historical linguistics, linguistic anthropology, language evolution, and cultural geography.

By: Gerd Carling
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9781032271798
ISBN 10: 1032271795
Pages: 182
Publication Date: 22 May 2024
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Gerd Carling is Professor of Empirical Linguistics at Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Reviews for Linguistic Archaeology: An Introduction and Methodological Guide

'Linguistic Archaeology is unparalleled in its scope and depth. In this indispensable core resource, Gerd Carling provides detailed historical accounts of the theoretical currents informing the contemporary study of language and languages in the deep past, complementing these with state-of-the-art descriptions of the methodological toolbox available to researchers.' Chris Sinha, University of East Anglia, UK