The Oceanic Languages (Routledge Language Family Series) [Hardcover]

Terry Crowley (Author), John Lynch (Author), Malcolm Ross (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 21, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0700711287 | ISBN-13: 978-0700711284 | Edition: 1

This new volume of the Language Family Series presents an overview of the Oceanic subgroup of the Austronesian languages, spread across a region embracing eastern Indonesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. It provides sufficient phonological and grammatical data to give typologists and comparativists a good idea of the nature of these languages, and of how much typological variety there is in this single subgroup. The references will allow those interested in particular topics, geographical areas or specific languages to delve further. Divided into two major parts, the first five chapters of the book place the Oceanic languages in their geographic, demographic and social context. Both the place of the Oceanic subgroup within the wider Austronesian family, and the internal subgrouping of Oceanic itself are dealt with. A typological overview of Oceanic languages is provided, as well as an outline of the reconstructed phonology and morphosyntax of Proto Oceanic. The second part of the book consists of grammar sketches of 43 Oceanic languages that are not at all well known in the linguistic literature. For many of these languages, the sketch in this volume is the first grammatical treatment to appear in print.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Lynch is an Emeritus Professor of Pacific Languages and the former Director of the Pacific Languages Unit at the University of the South Pacific in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Malcolm Ross is Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University.

Terry Crowley was a Professor at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 924 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (December 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0700711287
• ISBN-13: 978-0700711284
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,524,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)