Dictionary of Historical and Comparative Linguistics [Hardcover]

R.L. Trask (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000

Historical and comparative linguistics has been a major scholarly discipline for over 200 years, and yet this is the first dictionary ever devoted to it. With nearly 2,400 entries, the Dictionary of Historical & Comparative Linguistics covers every aspect of the subject, from the most venerable work to the exciting advances of the last few years - many of which have not yet even made it into the textbooks. All of the traditional terms are here, but so are the terms introduced only recently, in connection with such varied subjects as pidgin and creole languages, the sociolinguistic study of language change, mathematical and computational methods, the novel approaches to linguistic geography, the controversial proposals of new and vast language families, and the attempts at relating the theories of historical linguistics to those of archaeologists, the anthropologists, and geneticists. More than just a dictionary, this book provides genuine linguistic examples of most of the terms entered, detailed explanations of fundamental concepts, critical assessments of controversial ideas, cross-references to related terms, and an abundance of references to the original literature. Outstanding Academic Book - Choice

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Focusing uniquely on historical linguistics, namely, the study of how languages change over time, Trask (A Dictionary of Grammatical Terms in Linguistics) offers an alphabetical dictionary that will best serve those already knowledgeable about linguistics. The author emphasizes terms related to how languages change, such as methods of comparison and reconstruction, philological terms, and terms describing word formation. "Metatypy" and "Northern Cities Shift" are among those entries citing recent trends and scholarship. Prominent language families and individual languages (some extinct) receive coverage, but individual scholars do not, and Trask excludes entries on tagmemics and detailed entries on theories of generative grammar. Definitions range in length from a single short sentence to multiple paragraphs running more than a page. Boldface type indicates cross references to other definitions, highly consistent guides that are especially helpful given the book's lack of an index. The entries are supported by references to a 30-page bibliography and 12 tables. Unfortunately, because the list of tables offers only page numbers with no titles, the tables are less accessible than they should be. In comparison, the Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics, edited by Hadumod Bussmann (Routledge, 1999. 2d ed. ), offers depth and breadth for beginning and advanced readers, while David Crystal's Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (Blackwell, 1997. 4th ed.) is a thorough work addressing a wide audience. Recommended for specialized collections and academic libraries.DMarianne Orme, West Lafayette IN
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Recommended for specialized collections and academic libraries.
–Library Journal

This dictionary is very good....It will be most useful to every beginning and fairly progressed student of language.
–American Reference Books Annual

The first dictionary devoted to historical linguistics, the oldest scholarly branch of the discipline, this book fills a need. Most terms, laws, techniques, and processes that it defines are not listed in existing general or specialized dictionaries of linguistics....The book's high quality and uniqueness make this a necessary purchase for all academic and many public libraries.
–Choice, January 2001

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 403 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579582184
• ISBN-13: 978-1579582180
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,902,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)