The Cambridge Handbook of Areal Linguistics

Description

Providing a contemporary and comprehensive look at the topical area of areal linguistics, this book looks systematically at different regions of the world whilst presenting a focussed and informed overview of the theory behind research into areal linguistics and language contact. The topicality of areal linguistics is thoroughly documented by a wealth of case studies from all major regions of the world and, with chapters from scholars with a broad spectrum of language expertise, it offers insights into the mechanisms of external language change. With no book currently like this on the market, The Cambridge Handbook of Areal Linguistics will be welcomed by students and scholars working on the history of language families, documentation and classification, and will help readers to understand the key area of areal linguistics within a broader linguistic context. Front Matter Contents Maps Tables Contributors Preface 1 - Areas Areal Features and Areality 2 - Why is it so Hard to Define a Linguistic Area 3 - Areas and Universals 4 - Reassessing Sprachbunds a View from the Balkans 5 - Areal Sound Patterns from Perceptual Magnets to Stone Soup 6 - Convergence and Divergence in the Phonology of the Languages of Europe 7 - Word Prominence and Areal Linguistics 8 - Semantic Patterns from an Areal Perspective 9 - The Germanic Languages and Areal Linguistics 10 - Britain and Ireland 11 - Varieties of English 12 - Slavic Languages 13 - The Caucasus 14 - Western Asia East Anatolia as a Transition Zone 15 - An Areal View of Africa 16 - Areal Contact in Nilo-Saharan 17 - Niger-Congo Languages 18 - The Kalahari Basin Area as a Sprachbund Before the Bantu Expansion 19 - South Africa and Areal Linguistics 20 - Contact Between Indo-Aryan and Munda in Eastern-Central South Asia 21 - Sri Lanka and South India 22 - The Transeurasian Languages 23 - The Changing Profile of Case Marking in the Northeastern Siberia Area 24 - Languages of China in their East and Southeast Asian Context 25 - Language in the Mainland Southeast Asia Area 26 - Southeast Asian Tone in Areal Perspective 27 - The Areal Linguistics of Australia 28 - Languages of the New Guinea Region 29 - Languages of Eastern Melanesia 30 - The Western Micronesian Sprachbund 31 - Native North American Languages 32 - The Areal Linguistics of Amazonia 33 - Linguistic Areas Linguistic Convergence and River Systems in South America