The Indo-Aryan Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys) [Paperback]

Colin P. Masica (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 24, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0521299446 | ISBN-13: 978-0521299442

In his ambitious survey of the Indo-Aryan languages, Masica has provided a fundamental, comparative introduction that will interest not only general and theoretical linguists but also students of one or more languages (Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujurati, Marathi, Sinhalese, etc.) who want to acquaint themselves with the broader linguistic context. Generally synchronic in approach, concentrating on the phonology, morphology and syntax of the modern representatives of the group, the volume also covers their historical development, writing systems, and aspects of sociolinguistics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...this should prove to be a practical and serviceable reference book for many years to come." Canadian Journal of Linguistics

"This is a wonderful piece of scholarship...No anthropological linguist planning work in South Asia should leave home without it." American Anthropologist

"...Masica's text is a valuable addition to the Indo-Europeanist's library and is a must for Aryan studies. It is destined to become a classic." Jacob Caflisch, Sr., Language Quarterly

"...Dr. Masica is to be congratulated on assembling and organizing so much material, much of it little known, with the clarity and accuracy he has done and in maintaining the identifiable perspective of a single scholar on it....This very fine book will be much used and will not easily be replaced as a guide to the structure, modes of functioning, evolving interrelationships, and unresolved complexities of its varied subject-matter." Journal of the American Oriental Society

"...a genuine monument of erudition....Dr. Masica is remarkably conversant with all the available information and he digests it exceedingly well for the non-specialist and for the scholar as well....The volume is completed by rich appendices, copious notes and indices, as well as a very detailed bibliography. Clear tables illustrate the discussion." Journal of Indo-European Studies

Book Description

In addition to the phonology, morphology and syntax of the modern representatives of the Indo-Aryan language group (Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujurati, Marathi, Sinhalese, etc.), this volume covers their historical development, writing systems and aspects of sociolinguistics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (September 24, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521299446
• ISBN-13: 978-0521299442
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,072,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Detailed, August 4, 2007

By 

Truman Templeton (Spokane, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Indo-Aryan Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys) (Paperback)

Masica does a decent job of what is obviously a difficult task of organizing the Indo-Aryan languages and reviewing them both synchronically and diachronically. He does review the languages using historical linguistics to trace language change from Sanskrit/Old Indo-Aryan thru Pali and the various Prakrits to the Modern Indo-Aryan languages.

However my primary fault with this book is that it doesn't read as easily as other Cambridge Language Surveys like The Dravidian Languages by Krishnamurti or The Slavic Languages by Sussex and Cubberley. He offers a chart showing the first person singular and plural pronouns but little reference to the 2nd person pronouns. More summaries showing the details of each language or language groups and their respective dialects and sample texts would have been helpful. Also he switches back and forth from one transcription system for Kashmiri to another and its difficult to track which is which. A little more organization would have increased its accessibility.