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concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World , 2010-04-06 Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World is an authoritative single-volume reference resource comprehensively describing the major languages and language families of the world. It will provide full descriptions of the phonology, semantics, morphology, and syntax of the world's major languages, giving insights into their structure, history and development, sounds, meaning, structure, and language family, thereby both highlighting their diversity for comparative study, and contextualizing them according to their genetic relationships and regional distribution.Based on the highly acclaimed and award-winning Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, this volume will provide an edited collection of almost 400 articles throughout which a representative subset of the world's major languages are unfolded and explained in up-to-date terminology and authoritative interpretation, by the leading scholars in linguistics. In highlighting the diversity of the world's languages — from the thriving to the endangered and extinct — this work will be the first point of call to any language expert interested in this huge area. No other single volume will match the extent of language coverage or the authority of the contributors of Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World. - Extraordinary breadth of coverage: a comprehensive selection of just under 400 articles covering the world's major languages, language families, and classification structures, issues and dispute - Peerless quality: based on 20 years of academic development on two editions of the leading reference resource in linguistics, Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics - Unique authorship: 350 of the world's leading experts brought together for one purpose - Exceptional editorial selection, review and validation process: Keith Brown and Sarah Ogilvie act as first-tier guarantors for article quality and coverage - Compact and affordable: one-volume format makes this suitable for personal study at any institution interested in areal, descriptive, or comparative language study - and at a fraction of the cost of the full encyclopedia |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Concise Encyclopedia of Semantics Keith Allan, 2010-04-06 Concise Encyclopedia of Semantics is a comprehensive new reference work aiming to systematically describe all aspects of the study of meaning in language. It synthesizes in one volume the latest scholarly positions on the construction, interpretation, clarification, obscurity, illustration, amplification, simplification, negotiation, contradiction, contraction and paraphrasing of meaning, and the various concepts, analyses, methodologies and technologies that underpin their study. It examines not only semantics but the impact of semantic study on related fields such as morphology, syntax, and typologically oriented studies such as 'grammatical semantics', where semantics has made a considerable contribution to our understanding of verbal categories like tense or aspect, nominal categories like case or possession, clausal categories like causatives, comparatives, or conditionals, and discourse phenomena like reference and anaphora. COSE also examines lexical semantics and its relation to syntax, pragmatics, and cognitive linguistics; and the study of how 'logical semantics' develops and thrives, often in interaction with computational linguistics. As a derivative volume from Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, Second Edition, it comprises contributions from 150 of the foremost scholars of semantics in their various specializations and draws on 20+ years of development in the parent work in a compact and affordable format. Principally intended for tertiary level inquiry and research, this will be invaluable as a reference work for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as academics inquiring into the study of meaning and meaning relations within languages. As semantics is a centrally important and inherently cross-cutting area within linguistics it will therefore be relevant not just for semantics specialists, but for most linguistic audiences. - The first encyclopedia ever published in this fascinating and diverse field - Combines the talents of the world's leading semantics specialists - The latest trends in the field authoritatively reviewed and interpreted in context of related disciplines - Drawn from the richest, most authoritative, comprehensive and internationally acclaimed reference resource in the linguistics area - Compact and affordable single volume reference format |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Concise Encyclopedia of Pragmatics J. L. Mey, 2009 The Concise Encyclopedia of Pragmatics, Second Edition, comprehensively describes the discipline of pragmatics, one of the youngest but increasingly important areas within the study of language. Pragmatics deals with the various ways human use (and misuse, or even abuse) language, and shows how the language users are subject to the conditions that society imposes on such use. A central notion in pragmatics is that of the pragmatic act, which comprises both the immediately intended use of language as we observe it in speech acting, as well as the implied meanings of a given idea imparted in speech. The Concise Encyclopedia Pragmatic comprises contributions from the foremost scholars of pragmatics in their various specializations: it draws on over twenty years of development in the field, as documented in the parent Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: A Concise Encyclopedia of the United Nations Helmut Volger, 2009-12-07 How can we approach the complex United Nations system, a ‘family’of principal organs, subsidiary organs and specialized agencies? Where do we get summarizing information on the large number of reform concepts developed and implemented since the late 1990s, in particular in connection with the UN World Summit 2005? The present book provides orientation and information: It is the second updated English edition of the German Lexikon der Vereinten Nationen. The book provides in addition to concise and comprehensive information on the UN system insight into recent UN developments and reform efforts in the face of global opportunities and challenges, such as the Millennium Summit 2000 and World Summit 2005, and the establishment of important new UN organs, the Human Rights Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, in 2006. The contributing authors are academic scholars of international law, economics and political sciences; active and former diplomats and UN officials; journalists and members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and offer a variety of interesting perspectives. The entries are provided with bibliographies and with Internet addresses for further information and are supplemented in the annex by an informative text on the UN document numbering system and by a list of information facilities concerning the UN. This title was reviewed as „essential“ (highest category of recommendation) by Choice – Current Reviews for Academic Libraries in October 2010. 'A new edition of a mammoth, 900-page-plus encyclopedia covering every aspect of the United Nations and its work is now available in English in the United States... Among its many useful features are exhaustive lists of those bewildering UN acronyms, a key to decoding (and thus knowing how to look for) UN documents and a complete copy of the UN Charter. The easy-to-use alphabetical order of entries makes it easy for schoolchildren and adults to navigate.' Barbara Crossette in: The InterDependent, 4 October 2010 (www.theinterdependent.com). 'This multidirectional compass is extraordinarily well researched and written. It is a veritable research dream, without which no international collection could possibly be complete'. American Society of International Law, Newsletter of the UN21 Interest Group, January 2011 'This is an update... [of the 2002 edition], with articles contributed by a number of experts on the United Nations and international relations. Entries are either wholly updated or the original article is updated with a signed addendum, making the information current as of the end of 2008. Articles are very detailed and include copious references to other parts of the volume, indicated with an arrow. Most entries conclude with a bibliography of works useful for further research, many of which are extensive reviews of the literature on a particular topic in multiple languages. Entries range from overviews of the workings of the United Nations (including budget, membership rules, and organization) to more theoretical discussions of international law. ...[The book] will be indispensable for any research university with faculty in international relations or law. Summing Up: Essential. Graduate students and researchers/faculty. T. Miller, Michigan State University, Review in October 2010 in Choice – Current Reviews for Academic Libraries.' |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Sacred Languages of the World Brian P. Bennett, 2017-07-18 A fascinating comparative account of sacred languages and their role in and beyond religion —written for a broad, interdisciplinary audience Sacred languages have been used for foundational texts, liturgy, and ritual for millennia, and many have remained virtually unchanged through the centuries. While the vital relationship between language and religion has been long acknowledged, new research and thinking across an array of disciplines including religious studies, sociolinguistics, sociology, linguistics, and even neurolinguistics has resulted in a renewed interest in the area. This fascinating and informative book draws on Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Judaic, and Buddhist traditions to provide a concise and accessible introduction to the phenomenon of sacred languages. The book takes a strongly comparative, wide-ranging approach to exploring ways in which ancient religious languages, such as Latin, Pali, Church Slavonic, and Hebrew continue to shape the beliefs and practices of religious communities around the world. Informed by both comparative religion and sociolinguistics, it traces the histories of sacred languages, the myths and doctrines that explain their origin and value, the various ways they are used, the sectarian debates that shadow them, and the technological innovations that propel them forward in the twenty-first century. A comprehensive but succinct account of the role and importance of language within religion Takes an interdisciplinary approach which will appeal to students and scholars across an array of disciplines, including religious studies, sociology of religion, sociolinguistics, and linguistics Provides a strongly comparative exploration, drawing on Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Judaic, and Buddhist traditions Uses numerous examples and ties historic debates with contemporary situations Satisfies the rapidly growing demand for books on the subject among both academics and general readers Sacred Languages of the World is a must-read for students of religion and language, scripture, religious literacy, education and language, the sociology of religion, sociolinguistics. It will also have strong appeal among general readers with an interest comparative religion, history, cultural criticism, communication studies, and more. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics Margie Berns, 2010-03-20 Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics formalizes, organizes and analyzes the relation of knowledge about language to decision-making in practice. It synthesizes research in psycholinguistics, educational linguistics and sociolinguistics, freely crossing subject fields to establish innovative and expert responses to some of the key debates in the field. Authored and compiled by leaders in their various specialties and collated and extensively re-edited from the award-winning Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, Second Edition, this collection will be an ideal one-stop desk reference solution for any linguistics professional and researcher interested in how language operates at the leading edge. - Authoritative review of this dynamic field placed in an interdisciplinary context - Over 100 articles by leaders in the field - Compact and affordable single-volume format |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: A Concise Encyclopedia of Islam Gordon Newby, 2013-10-01 Covering everything from Adam to Zakariyyah, this concise reference guide is designed specifically for readers and students who wish to learn more about the world's fastest-growing religion. Fully illustrated, the book contains hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries which give succinct yet authoritative information on everything from the Qur'an and its origins to the role of Islam in the USA. It offers even-handed coverage of the different schools of belief, while featuring photographs, a timeline, and a guide to further reading. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Concise Encyclopedia of Sociology George Ritzer, J. Michael Ryan, 2010-12-03 This concise encyclopedia is the most complete international survey of sociology ever created in one volume. Contains over 800 entries from the whole breadth of the discipline Distilled from the highly regarded Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, with entries completely revised and updated to provide succinct and up-to-date coverage of the fundamental topics Global in scope, both in terms of topics and contributors Each entry includes references and suggestions for further reading Cross-referencing allows easy movement around the volume |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language , 2008 |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Global Prehistory of Human Migration Immanuel Ness, 2014-08-29 Previously published as the first volume of The Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration, this work is devoted exclusively to prehistoric migration, covering all periods and places from the first hominin migrations out of Africa through the end of prehistory. Presents interdisciplinary coverage of this topic, including scholarship from the fields of archaeology, anthropology, genetics, biology, linguistics, and more Includes contributions from a diverse international team of authors, representing 17 countries and a variety of disciplines Divided into two sections, covering the Pleistocene and Holocene; each section examines human migration through chapters that focus on different regional and disciplinary lenses |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Phonetics, Phonology & Pronunciation for the Language Classroom Charles Hall, Christopher Hastings, 2017-09-16 Language teachers are often afraid to teach pronunciation because they lack essential, basic knowledge or training in phonetics and phonology. To correct this situation, this lively, interactive book links all three in a manner that allows future and current language teachers to translate research findings into classroom approaches. The authors focus on practical, pedagogical, and theoretical aspects of phonetics, phonology, and pronunciation. While many books in the area separate phonetics and phonology into different subject areas with limited practical application, and most treat pronunciation independently, this book entails the interaction of all three. This quick introduction helps readers gain the basic knowledge, goals, and techniques they need to add pronunciation to their teaching. To address the need for language teachers to have access to materials that blend applied linguistics theory and second/foreign language teaching, this book focuses on practical and theoretical aspects of phonetics, phonology, and pronunciation. As language teachers are often asked to teach pronunciation without crucial knowledge or training in phonetics and phonology, this book links all three in a manner that allows future and current language teachers to translate research findings into classroom approaches. While many books in the area separate phonetics and phonology into different subject areas with limited practical application, and most treat pronunciation independently, this book entails the interaction of all three while connecting classroom practice to theory by drawing pedagogical implications from a discussion of applied linguistics research. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Adaptive Value of Languages: Non-linguistic Causes of Language Diversity, volume II Antonio Benítez-Burraco, Steven Moran, 2024-03-18 This Research Topic is the second volume of The Adaptive Value of Languages: Non-Linguistic Causes of Language Diversity. Please see the first volume here.The goal of this Research Topic is to shed light on the non-linguistic causes of language diversity and, specifically, to explore the possibility that some aspects of the structure of languages may result from an adaptation to the natural and/or human-made environment. Traditionally, language diversity has been claimed to result from random, internally-motivated changes in language structure. Ongoing research suggests instead that different factors that are external to language can promote language change and ultimately account for aspects of language diversity. Accordingly, linguistic complexity has been found to correlate with features of the social environment, such as the absence of cross-cultural exchanges or the number of native speakers. Likewise, language structure could be influenced by the physical environment, as the effect of dry climates on tone seemingly shows. Finally, core properties of human languages, like duality of patterning, have been argued to result from iterative learning and cultural evolution, as research in village sign languages illustrates. On the whole this means that some aspects of languages could be an adaptation to ecological, social, or even technological niches. Eventually, certain gene alleles, provided that they bias language acquisition or processing, may affect language change through iterated cultural transmission, and ultimately, to language structure. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages Roger D. Woodard, 2004-04-29 Examines the writing systems, morphology, phonology, syntax, and lexicon of ancient languages. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Phraseology in Multilingual Society Elena Arsenteva, 2014-03-17 This unique volume showcases the best presentations of the international conference “Phraseology in Multilingual Society” held at Kazan Federal University, Russia, in August 2013. The twenty-seven essays included here represent different research efforts by specialists in phraseology from around the world. The book reflects numerous different aspects of phraseological research, including those from semantic, pragmatic, and comparative fields of study. Furthermore, the volume also presents an investigation of some practical problems of paremiology and phraseography. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Contextualized Psalms (Punjabi Zabur) Yousaf Sadiq, 2020-11-09 The metrical translation of the Psalms into the Punjabi language, set to indigenous music in the late nineteenth century in India, plays a vital role in the personal and communal worship of the global Punjabi Christian community. This book is a pioneer work that comprehensively encompasses the cultural, socio-historical, missional, and sociolinguistic aspects of the Punjabi Psalter. It investigates the unique and fascinating story of the contextualizing of Psalms in an exclusive South Asian Punjabi context and engages in an in-depth study on the life and work of Rev. Dr. Imam-ud-Din Shahbaz. This work determines to bring a deeper appreciation for the Punjabi Psalter by encouraging the Punjabi Christians to not only pass the Psalms on to the next generations but also to grow in loving and valuing their mother-tongue, the Punjabi language. The thrust of this book is to esteem the shared heritage of the global Punjabi Christian community—the Psalms in Punjabi, commonly known as the Punjabi Zabur. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Language, Home, and Belonging in Migratory Contexts Constance Mbassi Manga, 2025-06-10 This book presents a study of the role and functions of Camfranglais (CFrA) for diasporic Cameroonians living in the West, showcasing how closely language relates to identity and the role CFrA plays in negotiations of 'home' and 'belonging' for these diasporic Cameroonians. Mbassi Manga adopts an integrated approach, bringing together the lenses of Critical Discourse Analysis and Linguistic Ethnography to the analysis of data on Camfranglais (CFrA), a hybrid urban language form from Cameroon that combines elements of French, English, Pidgin English, and Cameroonian vernaculars. Drawn from a discussion on interviewees’ accounts of the place and value of language in their life trajectories, and markers of identity, 'home' and 'belonging' in Facebook chats, the data analysis highlights CFrA's symbolic value and its role as an expression of a diasporic Cameroonian identity. The book concludes on the place and importance of non-official language use and other intracommunity cultural practices in the lived experiences of so-called migrants, as tools promoting well-being and positive integration in Western host societies. This book will be of interest to scholars in Sociolinguistics, Linguistic Anthropology, Discourse Analysis, and Decolonial Studies. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Topicalization in Asian Englishes Sven Leuckert, 2019-01-10 Shortlisted for the 2020 ESSE Book Award in English Language and Linguistics This monograph is the first comprehensive study of topicalization in Asian second-language varieties of English and provides an in-depth analysis of the forms, functions, and frequencies of topicalization in four Asian Englishes. Topicalization, that is, the sentence-initial placement of constituents other than the subject, has been found to occur frequently in the English spoken by many Asians, but so far the possible reasons for this have never been scrutinized. This book closes this research gap by taking into account the structures of the major contact languages, the roles of second-language acquisition and politeness as well as other factors in order to explain why topicalization is highly frequent in some varieties such as Indian English and much less frequent in other varieties such as Hong Kong English. In addition to exploring major and minor forces involved in explaining the frequency of topicalization, the forms and functions of the feature are assessed. Central questions addressed in this regard are the following: Which syntactic constituents tend to be topicalized the most and the least frequently? Which discourse effects does topicalization achieve? How can we approach topicalization methodologically? And, lastly, which influence do language processing and production have on topicalization? |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Complexities of Morphology Peter Arkadiev, Francesco Gardani, 2020-09-24 This volume explores the multiple aspects of morphological complexity, investigating primarily whether certain aspects of morphology can be considered more complex than others, and how that complexity can be measured. The book opens with a detailed introduction from the editors that critically assesses the foundational assumptions that inform contemporary approaches to morphological complexity. In the chapters that follow, the volume's expert contributors approach the topic from typological, acquisitional, sociolinguistic, and diachronic perspectives; the concluding chapter offers an overview of these various approaches, with a focus on the minimum description length principle. The analyses are based on rich empirical data from both well-known languages such as Russian and lesser-studied languages from Africa, Australia, and the Americas, as well as experimental data from artificial language learning. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Sociolinguistics Around the World Martin J Ball, 2009-12-16 Offers a survey of research trends in sociolinguistics around the world. This work focuses on traditional variationist sociolinguistics and on the areas of bi- and multilingualism together with diglossia and code-switching, language and culture, language and power and language planning. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Music as Biology Dale Purves, 2017-02-01 Why do human beings find some tone combinations consonant and others dissonant? Why do we make music using only a small number of scales out the billions that are possible? Dale Purves shows that rethinking music theory in biological terms offers a new approach to centuries-long debates about the organization and impact of music. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics Carol A. Chapelle, 2020-01-09 Offers a wide-ranging overview of the issues and research approaches in the diverse field of applied linguistics Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field that identifies, examines, and seeks solutions to real-life language-related issues. Such issues often occur in situations of language contact and technological innovation, where language problems can range from explaining misunderstandings in face-to-face oral conversation to designing automated speech recognition systems for business. The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics includes entries on the fundamentals of the discipline, introducing readers to the concepts, research, and methods used by applied linguists working in the field. This succinct, reader-friendly volume offers a collection of entries on a range of language problems and the analytic approaches used to address them. This abridged reference work has been compiled from the most-accessed entries from The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (www.encyclopediaofappliedlinguistics.com), the more extensive volume which is available in print and digital format in 1000 libraries spanning 50 countries worldwide. Alphabetically-organized and updated entries help readers gain an understanding of the essentials of the field with entries on topics such as multilingualism, language policy and planning, language assessment and testing, translation and interpreting, and many others. Accessible for readers who are new to applied linguistics, The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics: Includes entries written by experts in a broad range of areas within applied linguistics Explains the theory and research approaches used in the field for analysis of language, language use, and contexts of language use Demonstrates the connections among theory, research, and practice in the study of language issues Provides a perfect starting point for pursuing essential topics in applied linguistics Designed to offer readers an introduction to the range of topics and approaches within the field, The Concise Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics is ideal for new students of applied linguistics and for researchers in the field. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Sustainable Communication Networks and Application P. Karrupusamy, Valentina Emilia Balas, Yong Shi, 2022-01-17 This book includes high-quality research papers presented at 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Communication Networks and Applications (ICSCN 2021), which is held at Surya Engineering College (SEC), Erode, India, during 29–30 July 2021. This book includes novel and state-of-the-art research discussions that articulate and report all research aspects, including theoretical and experimental prototypes and applications that incorporate sustainability into emerging applications. The book discusses and articulates emerging challenges in significantly reducing the energy consumption of communication systems and also explains development of a sustainable and energy-efficient mobile and wireless communication network. It includes best selected high-quality conference papers in different fields such as Internet of Things, cloud computing, data mining, artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous systems, deep learning, neural networks, renewable energy sources, sustainable wireless communication networks, QoS, network sustainability, and many other related areas. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Clues to Lower Mississippi Valley Histories David V. Kaufman, 2020-10-01 2019 Choice Outstanding Academic Title In Clues to Lower Mississippi Valley Histories David V. Kaufman offers a stunning relational analysis of social, cultural, and linguistic change in the Lower Mississippi Valley from 500 to 1700. He charts how linguistic evidence aids the understanding of earlier cultural and social patterns, traces the diaspora of indigenous peoples, and uncovers instances of human migration. Historical linguistics establishes evidence of contact between indigenous peoples in the linguistic record where other disciplinary approaches have obscured these connections. The Mississippi Valley is the heartland of early North American civilizations, a rich and diversified center of transportation for every part of eastern North America and to Mesoamerica. The Lower Mississippi Valley region emerged as the home of the earliest mound-building societies in the Americas and was home to some of the most impressive kingdoms encountered by Spanish and French explorers. The languages of the region provide the key to the realities experienced by these indigenous peoples, their histories, and their relationships. Clues to Lower Mississippi Valley Histories focuses on relationships that constitute what linguists call a sprachbund (language union), or language area. Kaufman illuminates and articulates these linguistic relationships through a skillful examination of archaeological and ethnohistorical data. Clues to Lower Mississippi Valley Histories examines the relationship between linguistics and archaeology to elucidate the early history of the Lower Mississippi Valley. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Cyclical Change Continued Elly van Gelderen, 2016-03-09 This book presents new data and additional questions regarding the linguistic cycle. The topics discussed are the pronoun, negative, negative existential, analytic-synthetic, distributive, determiner, degree, and future/modal cycles. The papers raise questions about the length of time that cycles take, the interactions between different cycles, the typical stages and their stability, and the areal factors influencing cycles. The languages and language families that are considered in depth are Central Pomo, Cherokee, Chinese, English, French, Gbe, German, Hmong-Mien, Maipurean, Mayan, Mohawk, Mon-Khmer, Niger-Congo, Nupod, Quechuan, Sino-Tibetan, Tai-Kadai , Tuscarora, Ute, and Yoruboid. One paper covers several of the world’s language families. Cyclical change connects linguists working in various frameworks because it is exciting to find a reason behind this fascinating phenomenon. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Concise Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Language and Linguistics Alex Barber, Robert J Stainton, 2010-04-06 The application of philosophy to language study, and language study to philosophy, has experienced demonstrable intellectual growth and diversification in recent decades. Concise Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Language and Linguistics comprehensively analyzes and evaluates many of the most interesting facets of this vibrant field. An edited collection of articles taken from the award-winning Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, Second Edition, this volume acts as a single-stop desk reference resource for the field, comprising contributions from the foremost scholars of philosophy of linguistics in their various interdisciplinary specializations. From Plato's Cratylus to Semantic and Epistemic Holism, this fascinating work authoritatively unpacks the diverse and multi-layered concepts of meaning, expression, identity, truth, and countless other themes and subjects straddling the linguistic-philosophical meridian, in 175 articles and over 900 pages. - Authoritative review of this dynamic field placed in an interdisciplinary context - Approximately 175 articles by leaders in the field - Compact and affordable single-volume format |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: An Introduction to Linguistic Typology Viveka Velupillai, 2012-08-08 This clear and accessible introduction to linguistic typology covers all linguistic domains from phonology and morphology over parts-of-speech, the NP and the VP, to simple and complex clauses, pragmatics and language change. There is also a discussion on methodological issues in typology. This textbook is the first introduction that consistently applies the findings of the World Atlas of Language Structures, systematically includes pidgin and creole languages and devotes a section to sign languages in each chapter. All chapters contain numerous illustrative examples and specific feature maps. Keywords and exercises help review the main topics of each chapter. Appendices provide macro data for all the languages cited in the book as well as a list of web sites of typological interest. An extensive glossary gives at-a-glance definitions of the terms used in the book. This introduction is designed for students of courses with a focus on language diversity and typology, as well as typologically-oriented courses in morphology and syntax. The book will also serve as a guide for field linguists. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Concise Encyclopedia of Pragmatics J.L. Mey, 2009-08-07 Concise Encyclopedia of Pragmatics, Second Edition (COPE) is an authoritative single-volume reference resource comprehensively describing the discipline of pragmatics, an important branch of natural language study dealing with the study of language in it's entire user-related theoretical and practical complexity. As a derivative volume from Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, Second Edition, it comprises contributions from the foremost scholars of semantics in their various specializations and draws on 20+ years of development in the parent work in a compact and affordable format. Principally intended for tertiary level inquiry and research, this will be invaluable as a reference work for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as academics inquiring into the study of meaning and meaning relations within languages. As pragmatics is a centrally important and inherently cross-cutting area within linguistics, it will therefore be relevant not just for meaning specialists, but for most linguistic audiences. - Edited by Jacob Mey, a leading pragmatics specialist, and authored by experts - The latest trends in the field authoritatively reviewed and interpreted in context of related disciplines - Drawn from the richest, most authoritative, comprehensive and internationally acclaimed reference resource in the linguistics area - Compact and affordable single volume reference format |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Concise Encyclopedia of Sociolinguistics Rajend Mesthrie, 2001 This encyclopedia provides an overview of the vast subject of sociolinguistics for an audience who may be unfamiliar or just becoming familiar with the area. It also includes a handy reference to key concepts and discipline. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: COVID-19 and a World of Ad Hoc Geographies Stanley D. Brunn, Donna Gilbreath, 2022-09-15 This book provides an interdisciplinary overview of the causes and impacts of COVID-19 on populations, economies, politics, institutions and environments from all world regions. The book maps the causes, effects and impacts of the virus and describes the impact of the virus on among others health care, teaching and learning, travel, tourism, daily life, local and regional economies, media impacts, elections, and indigenous populations and much more. Contributions to this book come from the humanities, social and policy science disciplines as well as from emerging transdisciplinary fields including climate change, sustainability, health care and epidemiology, security, art, visualization, economic and social well-being, law and borderland studies. As such, this book will be a rich source of information to all those geographers, social scientists and urban and regional planners working in this field. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Theory of Problem-Solution Dualities and Polarities Kofi Kissi Dompere, 2022-04-25 This book is concerned with the development of the understanding of the relational structures of information, knowledge, decision–choice processes of problems and solutions in the theory and practice regarding diversity and unity principles of knowing, science, non-science, and information–knowledge systems through dualistic-polar conditions of variety existence and nonexistence. It is a continuation of the sequence of my epistemic works on the theories on fuzzy rationality, info-statics, info-dynamics, entropy, and their relational connectivity to information, language, knowing, knowledge, cognitive practices relative to variety identification–problem–solution dualities, variety transformation–problem–solution dualities, and variety certainty–uncertainty principle in all areas of knowing and human actions regarding general social transformations. It is also an economic–theoretic approach in understanding the diversity and unity of knowing and science through neuro-decision–choice actions over the space of problem–solution dualities and polarities. The problem–solution dualities are argued to connect all areas of knowing including science and non-science, social science, and non-social-science into unity with diversities under neuro-decision–choice actions to support human existence and nonexistence over the space of static–dynamic dualities. The concepts of diversity and unity are defined and explicated to connect to the tactics and strategies of decision–choice actions over the space of problem–solution dualities. The concepts of problem and solution are defined and explicated not in the space of absoluteness but rather in the space of relativity based on real cost–benefit conditions which are shown to be connected to the general parent–offspring infinite process, where every solution generates new problem(s) which then generates a search for new solutions within the space of minimum–maximum dualities in the decision–choice space under the principle of non-satiation over the space of preference–non-preference dualities with analytical tools drawn from the fuzzy paradigm of thought which connects the conditions of the principle of opposites to the conditions of neuro-decision–choice actions in the zone of variety identifications and transformations. The Monograph would be useful to all areas of Research, Learning and Teaching at Advanced Stages of Knowing and Knowledge Production. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Languages of the Amazon Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald, 2012-05-18 This is the first guide and introduction to the extraordinary range of languages in Amazonia, which include some of the most the most fascinating in the world and many of which are now teetering on the edge of extinction. Alexandra Aikhenvald, one of the world's leading experts on the region, provides an account of the more than 300 languages. She sets out their main characteristics, compares their common and unique features, and describes the histories and cultures of the people who speak them. The languages abound in rare features. Most have been in contact with each other for many generations, giving rise to complex patterns of linguistic influence. The author draws on her own extensive field research to tease out and analyse the patterns of their genetic and structural diversity. She shows how these patterns reveal the interrelatedness of language and culture; different kinship systems, for example, have different linguistic correlates. Professor Aikhenvald explains the many unusual features of Amazonian languages, which include evidentials, tones, classifiers, and elaborate positional verbs. She ends the book with a glossary of terms, and a full guide for those readers interested in following up a particular language or linguistic phenomenon. The book is free of esoteric terminology, written in its author's characteristically clear style, and brought vividly to life with numerous accounts of her experience in the region. It may be used as a resource in courses in Latin American studies, Amazonian studies, linguistic typology, and general linguistics, and as reference for linguistic and anthropological research. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Routledge Handbook of North American Languages Daniel Siddiqi, Michael Barrie, Carrie Gillon, Jason Haugen, Eric Mathieu, 2019-09-25 The Routledge Handbook of North American Languages is a one-stop reference for linguists on those topics that come up the most frequently in the study of the languages of North America (including Mexico). This handbook compiles a list of contributors from across many different theories and at different stages of their careers, all of whom are well-known experts in North American languages. The volume comprises two distinct parts: the first surveys some of the phenomena most frequently discussed in the study of North American languages, and the second surveys some of the most frequently discussed language families of North America. The consistent goal of each contribution is to couch the content of the chapter in contemporary theory so that the information is maximally relevant and accessible for a wide range of audiences, including graduate students and young new scholars, and even senior scholars who are looking for a crash course in the topics. Empirically driven chapters provide fundamental knowledge needed to participate in contemporary theoretical discussions of these languages, making this handbook an indispensable resource for linguistics scholars. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: The Whole World in a Book Sarah Ogilvie, Gabriella Safran, 2020 The 19th century saw a new wave of dictionaries, many of which remain household names. Those dictionaries didn't just store words; they represented imperial ambitions, nationalist passions, religious fervor, and utopian imaginings. This volume shows how 19th-century lexicography continues to influence how we speak, write, and think in the 21st century. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Theories of Knowing and Knowledge Production Kofi Kissi Dompere, 2024-09-26 The book is devoted to exploring the organizational dimensions of the general space of problem-solution dualities within epistemic fields to examine the diversity and unity of knowing and information-knowledge production in science and non-science and how to account for and explain the forces of variety transformations, as induced by decision-choice actions in creating the functor space and the space of categorial converters as well as to integrate decision-choice qualities of curiosity, creativity, hope, despair, success, failure, and their relationships with epistemic anomalies in the production of intellectual investment flows and capital stocks, and the rise and fall of institutions in response to the dynamics of the open space of problem-solution dualities with open algorithms under the principle of non-satiation. The conditions and sources of uncertainties in human actions are traced though the space of ontic-epistemic dualities as generated by cognitive capacity limitations leading to the concepts of imagination, possibility, and probability with corresponding worlds and then link to the discussions on thinking-reasoning processes with goals, objectives, and visions of education in social set-ups. The concepts and phenomena of anticipation, necessity, expectation, freedom, anomaly, curiosity, creativity, hope, despair, success, and failure contained in the space of imaginations are defined under the concepts of onticity and epistemicity, where their roles in the dualistic-polar journeys are discussed, analyzed, and connected to epistemic transversality conditions under the principle of opposites relative to the conditions of input-output and cost-benefit dualities. The book is to fill in some of the important phenomena needed in my investigation of theory of knowing as a production of intellectual investment flows and information-knowledge accumulation as the production of intellectual capital stocks relative to the disequilibrium dynamics of human intellectual heritage based on fuzzy paradigm of thought, thus providing an added foundation in integrating subjective elements into the development of open artificial intelligence, where cost-benefit values operate to determine varieties over the spaces of true-false and yes-no dualities in machine learning. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Words, Phrases, and Building a Strong Vocabulary Gauraang Asan, 2025-01-03 Words, Phrases, and Building a Strong Vocabulary is your comprehensive guide to understanding and mastering the building blocks of language. This book explains the concept of words, how to form phrases, and ultimately how to develop a rich vocabulary. We explore various types of words and phrases, providing a broad and detailed understanding of their impact on our lives. This book consists of 9 well-structured chapters, each offering in-depth knowledge on how words, languages, and linguistics affect us. With numerous exercises included, you can thoroughly grasp the concepts and apply them effectively. The language used throughout is simple and reader-friendly, making it accessible for everyone. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Religion, Language, and the Human Mind Paul Anthony Chilton, Monika Weronika Kopytowska, 2018 Religion is a multi-faceted and complex human phenomenon, combining many different mental and social characteristics. Among these, language plays a crucial though often neglected role. This volume brings together groundbreaking work from linguistics, cognitive science and neuroscience, as well as from religious studies, in order to illuminate the origins and centrality of religion in human life. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Religion, Language, and the Human Mind Paul Chilton, Monika Kopytowska, 2018-04-03 What is religion? How does it work? Many natural abilities of the human mind are involved, and crucial among them is the ability to use language. This volume brings together research from linguistics, cognitive science and neuroscience, as well as from religious studies, to understand the phenomena of religion as a distinctly human enterprise. The book is divided into three parts, each part preceded by a full introductory chapter by the editors that discusses modern scientific approaches to religion and the application of modern linguistics, particularly cognitive linguistics and pragmatics. Part I surveys the development of modern studies of religious language and the diverse disciplinary strands that have emerged. Beginning with descriptive approaches to religious language and the problem of describing religious concepts across languages, chapters introduce the turn to cognition in linguistics and also in theology, and explore the brain's contrasting capacities, in particular its capacity for language and metaphor. Part II continues the discussion of metaphor - the natural ability by which humans draw on basic knowledge of the world in order to explore abstractions and intangibles. Specialists in particular religions apply conceptual metaphor theory in various ways, covering several major religious traditions-Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Part III seeks to open up new horizons for cognitive-linguistic research on religion, looking beyond written texts to the ways in which language is integrated with other modalities, including ritual, religious art, and religious electronic media. Chapters in Part III introduce readers to a range of technical instruments that have been developed within cognitive linguistics and discourse analysis in recent years. What unfolds ultimately is the idea that the embodied cognition of humans is the basis not only of their languages, but also of their religions. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: English as a Global Language David Crystal, 2012-03-29 Written in a detailed and fascinating manner, this book is ideal for general readers interested in the English language. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Languages of the Amazon Aleksandra I︠U︡rʹevna Aĭkhenvalʹd, 2012-05-17 This guide and introduction to the extraordinary range of languages in Amazonia includes some of the most fascinating in the world and many of which are now teetering on the edge of extinction. |
concise encyclopedia of languages of the world: Language Management Bernard Spolsky, 2009-04-02 This book was the first book to present a specific theory of language management. |
CONCISE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of CONCISE is marked by brevity of expression or statement : free from all elaboration and superfluous detail. How to use concise in a sentence. Did you know?
CONCISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
CONCISE definition: 1. short and clear, expressing what needs to be said without unnecessary words: 2. short and…. Learn more.
CONCISE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
Concise definition: expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope; succinct; terse.. See examples of CONCISE used in a sentence.
Concise - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
If something is concise, it's short and gets right to the point. A concise edition of your diary might be 50 pages of the most important entries. Concise comes from the Latin word concidere, which …
CONCISE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Something that is concise says everything that is necessary without using any unnecessary words. Burton's text is concise and informative. Whatever you are writing make sure you are clear, …
Concise - definition of concise by The Free Dictionary
concise implies that unnecessary details or verbiage have been eliminated: a concise summary of a speech. succinct suggests clarity of expression as well as brevity: praised for her succinct …
concise adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage …
Definition of concise adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
CONCISE Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words - Merriam-Webster
Some common synonyms of concise are compendious, laconic, pithy, succinct, summary, and terse. While all these words mean "very brief in statement or expression," concise suggests the …
concise - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
Concise, succinct, terse all refer to speech or writing that uses few words to say much. Concise usually implies that unnecessary details or verbiage have been eliminated from a more wordy …
What does CONCISE mean? - Definitions.net
Apr 27, 2016 · Concise refers to using as few words as possible to give the necessary information, or explained clearly and briefly. It suggests delivering a lot of information clearly and in a few …
CONCISE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of CONCISE is marked by brevity of expression or statement : free from all elaboration and superfluous detail. How to use concise in a sentence. Did you know?
CONCISE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
CONCISE definition: 1. short and clear, expressing what needs to be said without unnecessary words: 2. short and…. Learn more.
CONCISE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
Concise definition: expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope; succinct; terse.. See examples of CONCISE used in a sentence.
Concise - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
If something is concise, it's short and gets right to the point. A concise edition of your diary might be 50 pages of the most important entries. Concise comes from the Latin word concidere, …
CONCISE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
Something that is concise says everything that is necessary without using any unnecessary words. Burton's text is concise and informative. Whatever you are writing make sure you are …
Concise - definition of concise by The Free Dictionary
concise implies that unnecessary details or verbiage have been eliminated: a concise summary of a speech. succinct suggests clarity of expression as well as brevity: praised for her succinct …
concise adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage …
Definition of concise adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
CONCISE Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words - Merriam-Webster
Some common synonyms of concise are compendious, laconic, pithy, succinct, summary, and terse. While all these words mean "very brief in statement or expression," concise suggests …
concise - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
Concise, succinct, terse all refer to speech or writing that uses few words to say much. Concise usually implies that unnecessary details or verbiage have been eliminated from a more wordy …
What does CONCISE mean? - Definitions.net
Apr 27, 2016 · Concise refers to using as few words as possible to give the necessary information, or explained clearly and briefly. It suggests delivering a lot of information clearly and in a few …