The Languages of East and Southeast Asia : An Introduction: An Introduction

This book introduces readers to the remarkable linguistic diversity of East and Southeast Asia. It combines serious but accessible treatments of diverse areas not usually found in a single volume: for example, word origins, cultural key words, tones and sounds, language families and typology, key syntactic structures, writing systems, communicative style. Written with great clarity and an eye for interesting examples, the book is a textbook for students of linguistics, Asian languages, and Asian studies. This book introduces readers to the remarkable linguistic diversity of East and Southeast Asia. It contains wide-ranging and accessible discussions of every important aspect of the languages of the region, including word origins, cultural key words, tones and sounds, language families and typology, key syntactic structures, writing systems, and communicative styles. Students of linguistics will welcome the book's treatments of celebrated East Asian features such as classifiers, serial verb constructions, tones, topic-prominence, and honorifics. It shows students of particular Asian languages how their language fits structurally and culturally into the regional language mosaic. With its exercises, solutions, glossary, and many fascinating cases and insights, the book is an ideal introduction to descriptive and field linguistics. Cliff Goddard writes with great clarity and an eye for interesting examples. His book will appeal to all those with a serious interest in the languages and cultures of the region. Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 11 List of maps and figures......Page 12 List of tables......Page 13 Conventions and symbols......Page 15 chapter 1 The languages of East andSoutheast Asia: a first look......Page 18 chapter 2 Language families, linguistic areasand language situations......Page 44 chapter 3 Words: origins, structures,meanings......Page 70 chapter 4 Grammatical topics......Page 112 chapter 5 The soundscape of East andSoutheast Asia......Page 166 chapter 6 Writing systems......Page 194 chapter 7 The art of speaking......Page 226 Exercises......Page 256 Solutions......Page 278 Glossary of linguistic terms......Page 294 References......Page 312 This Book Introduces The Linguistic Diversity Of East And Southeast Asia. It Contains Treatments Of Diverse Areas Including: Word Origins, Cultural Key Words, Tones And Sounds, Language Families And Typology, Key Syntactic Structures, Writing Systems And Communicative Style --provided By Publisher. 1. The Languages Of East And Southeast Asia : A First Look -- 2. Language Families, Linguistic Areas And Language Situations -- 3. Words : Origins, Structures, Meanings -- 4. Grammatical Topics -- 5. The Soundscape Of East And Southeast Asia -- 6. Writing Systems -- 7. The Art Of Speaking. Cliff Goddard. Series Statement From Jacket. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [295]-306) And Index. This book introduces readers to the remarkable linguistic diversity of East and Southeast Asia. It combines serious but accessible treatments of diverse areas not usually found in a single volume: for example, word origins, cultural key words, tones and sounds, language families and typology, key syntactic structures, writing systems, communicative style. Written with great clarity and an eye for interesting examples, the book is a textbook for students of linguistics, Asian. languages, and Asian studies. - ;This book introduces readers to the remarkable linguistic diversity of East and Southe