Compendium of the World's Languages / Edition 3

by George L. Campbell, Gareth King

Overview

This third edition of Compendium of the World’s Languages has been thoroughly revised to provide up-to-date and accurate descriptions of a wide selection of natural language systems. All cultural and historical notes as well as statistical data have been checked, updated and in many cases expanded.

Presenting an even broader range of languages and language families, including new coverage of Australian aboriginal languages and expanded treatment of North American and African languages, this new edition offers a total of 342 entries over nearly 2000 pages.

Key features include:

• Complete rewriting, systematization and regularisation of the phonology sections
• Provision of IPA symbol grids arranged by articulatory feature and by alphabetic resemblance to facilitate use of the new phonology sections
• Expansion of morphology descriptions for most major languages
• Provision of new illustrative text samples
• Addition of a glossary of technical terms and an expanded bibliography
• Comparative tables of the numerals 1-10 in a representative range of languages, and also grouped by family

Drawing upon a wealth of recent developments and research in language typology and broadened availability of descriptive data, this new incarnation of George Campbell’s astounding Compendium brings a much-loved survey emphatically into the twenty-first century for a new generation of readers.

Scholarly, comprehensive and highly accessible, Compendium of the World’s Languages remains the ideal reference for all interested linguists and professionals alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415499699
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/20/2012
Series:	Compendium of the World's Languages
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	1984
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

George L. Campbell worked for the BBC World Service and was a polyglot linguist and translator.

Gareth King is Series Advisor for the Routledge Colloquials Series and the author of numerous books on language and linguistics.

Table of Contents

Volume I: Abaza to Kyrgyz. Preface. Glossary of terms. The International Phonetic Alphabet Chart. IPA symbols by feature/point of articulation. IPA symbols by alphabetic similarity. Index of languages. Languages A-Z Volume II: Lak to Zuni. Languages L-Z. Comparative grid of numbers 1-10 (alphabetical listing). Comparative grid of numbers (genetic listing). Bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

"Fascinating and massive collection of information. If you are interested in the languages of the world, you will LOVE this book. It is an amazing collection of information. If you are a polyglot, this book will hold your attention for years."

Keith Swayne, Director, Five Arrows Language Classes

From the Publisher

For this second edition of a major reference on literary language, first published in 1991, linguist/translator Campbell has added 18 new articles and expanded others, increasing the number of pages by 400. He describes the structure of over 300 languages and language families, directing his text to readers with at least a basic knowledge of linguistics. Organized alphabetically and ranging from two to ten pages, the articles present the standard outline from the first edition: introduction/headword, script, phonology, morphology and syntax, illustrative text, and bibliography. The morphology section examines major parts of speech and typical word order. To guide readers, Campbell provides a lengthy table that functions as both a table of contents and an index; typographical conventions indicate languages with their own articles and those that are covered in a language family's profile. For this edition, the bibliography has been reorganized by language to facilitate access, yet the listing is weakened by the inclusion of numerous older sources. While this work upholds the first edition's reputation for largely accurate content, general readers may prefer the more prosaic entries found in three other works: R.E. Asher's Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics (Pergamon, 1993), Andrew Dalby's Dictionary of Languages (LJ 5/1/99), and Bernard Comrie's World's Major Languages (LJ 9/15/87). Another new, less expensive resource is the forthcoming Facts About the World's Languages (H.W. Wilson, 2000), which will cover 175 languages. Noting the high price and the limitations mentioned above, this title is recommended for academic and large public libraries because of its valuable descriptions of language structures.--Marianne Orme, West Lafayette, IN Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Because at present count, there are some 5,000 human languages, this second edition has been expanded beyond the first (1991) to include some two dozen new additions dealing with languages such as Comanche, Newari, Shona, Shotho, the Orkhon-Yenisei inscriptions, and the L<:u> language of southern Yunnan. Most of the first edition's entries have been rewritten and, in general, include background on the language (affiliation, location, number of speakers, etc.), script, phonology, morphology and syntax, a bit of illustrative text, and a bibliography. Prioritized for inclusion are the world's literary languages, but Campbell (formerly of the BBC World Service) has also included oral languages spoken by less than 10,000 people. Such major dead languages as Sanskrit, Classical Chinese, and Classical Greek and Latin also find a place alongside lesser-known, extinct tongues such as Etruscan and Tangut. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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