Main description:
This is a revised edition of a standard work for comparative linguists. A new introduction dealing mainly with a semiotic basis of change, and a final chapter on aspects of explanation, particularly in historical and human disciplines, have been added and minor changes have been made in the bulk of the text. Chapter 11 now includes a section on comparative syntax and Chapter 13 includes a brief addition on the semiotic status of the comparative method. The biography has been updated with a selection from the overwhelming amount of material which has appeared in the intervening years. The Index has been adapted to include the new material. Contents. Background: Genetic Linguistics in relation to General 1. Linguistics and related fields 2. Historical Linguistics: How does language change? 3. Comparative Linguistics (general notions and structure): How can change be reversed? 4. Linguistic Reconstruction: A synthesis of various linguistic and cultural notions 5. Conclusion: Linguistics as part of Anthropology Bibliography Index
Table of contents:
- Introduction
- Part I. Background: genetic linguistics in relation to general linguistics and related fields
- 1. Language and linguistics
- 2. Writing and language
- 3. Linguistic variation
- Part II. Historical linguistics: how does language change
- 4. Sound change
- 5. Grammar change: analogy
- 6. Rule change
- 7. Semantic change
- 8. External change: borrowing
- 9. Why does language change?
- Part III. Comparative linguistics (general notions and structure): how can change be reversed?
- 10. Preliminaries to the historical methods
- 11. The comparative method (the central concept)
- 12. Internal reconstruction
- 13. Conclusion to the methods
- Part IV. Linguistic reconstruction: A synthesis of various linguistic and cultural notions
- 114. Dialect geography
- 15. Alternative relationship models
- 16. Classification of languages
- 17. Philology and etymology
- 18. Reconstructing Phonology
- 19. Reconstructing grammar
- 20. Reconstructing semology/semantics
- Part V. Conclusion: linguistics as part of anthropology
- 21. Change and reconstruction in culture and linguistics
- 22. Genetic linguistics and biological genetics
- 23. Genetic linguistics and metatheory
- Bibliography
- Index
This is a revised edition of a standard work for comparative linguists. A new introduction dealing mainly with a semiotic basis of change, and a final chapter on aspects of explanation, particularly in historical and human disciplines, have been added and minor changes have been made in the bulk of the text. Chapter 11 now includes a section on comparative syntax and Chapter 13 includes a brief addition on the semiotic status of the comparative method. The biography has been updated with a selection from the overwhelming amount of material which has appeared in the intervening years. The Index has been adapted to include the new material. Contents. Background: Genetic Linguistics in relation to General 1. Linguistics and related fields 2. Historical Linguistics: How does language change? 3. Comparative Linguistics (general notions and structure): How can change be reversed? 4. Linguistic Reconstruction: A synthesis of various linguistic and cultural notions 5. Conclusion: Linguistics as part of Anthropology Bibliography Index
Table of contents:
- Introduction
- Part I. Background: genetic linguistics in relation to general linguistics and related fields
- 1. Language and linguistics
- 2. Writing and language
- 3. Linguistic variation
- Part II. Historical linguistics: how does language change
- 4. Sound change
- 5. Grammar change: analogy
- 6. Rule change
- 7. Semantic change
- 8. External change: borrowing
- 9. Why does language change?
- Part III. Comparative linguistics (general notions and structure): how can change be reversed?
- 10. Preliminaries to the historical methods
- 11. The comparative method (the central concept)
- 12. Internal reconstruction
- 13. Conclusion to the methods
- Part IV. Linguistic reconstruction: A synthesis of various linguistic and cultural notions
- 114. Dialect geography
- 15. Alternative relationship models
- 16. Classification of languages
- 17. Philology and etymology
- 18. Reconstructing Phonology
- 19. Reconstructing grammar
- 20. Reconstructing semology/semantics
- Part V. Conclusion: linguistics as part of anthropology
- 21. Change and reconstruction in culture and linguistics
- 22. Genetic linguistics and biological genetics
- 23. Genetic linguistics and metatheory
- Bibliography
- Index