From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic
From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic

Author: Donald A. Ringe

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 0199552290

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This book describes the earliest reconstructable stages of the prehistory of English. It outlines the grammar of Proto-Indo-European, considers the changes by which one dialect of that prehistoric language developed into Proto-Germanic, and provides a detailed account of the grammar of Proto-Germanic. The focus throughout the book is on linguistic structure. In the course of his exposition Professor Ringe draws on a long tradition of work on many languages, including Hittite, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Slavic, Gothic, and Old Norse. Written to be intelligible to those with a background in modern linguistic theory, the first volume in Don Ringe's A Linguistic History of English will be of central interest to all scholars and students of comparative Indo-European and Germanic linguistics, the history of English, and historical linguists. The next volume in the History will consider the development of Proto-Germanic into Old English. Subsequent volumes will describe the attested history of English from the Anglo-Saxon era to the present.

From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic
From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic

Author: Don Ringe

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2017-08-15

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 0192511181

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This book describes the earliest reconstructable stages of the prehistory of English, focusing specifically on linguistic structure. It outlines the grammar of Proto-Indo-European, considers the changes by which one dialect of that prehistoric language developed into Proto-Germanic, and provides a detailed account of the grammar of Proto-Germanic. In the course of his exposition Don Ringe draws on a long tradition of work on many languages, including Hittite, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Slavic, Gothic, and Old Norse. This second edition has been significantly revised to provide a more in-depth account of Proto-Indo-European, with further exploration of disputed points; it has also been updated to include new developments in the field, particularly in the reconstruction of the Proto-Indo-European verb and nominal inflection. The author also reconsiders some of his original approaches to specific linguistic changes and their relative chronology based on his recent research. This new edition of the first volume in A Linguistic History of English will be of central interest to all scholars and students of comparative Indo-European and Germanic linguistics, the history of English, and historical linguistics more generally. The second volume, The Development of Old English by Don Ringe and Ann Taylor, was published by OUP in 2014 (paperback 2016)

The Proto-Germanic n-stems.
The Proto-Germanic n-stems.

Author: Guus Kroonen

Publisher: Rodopi

Published: 2011-04

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 9042032936

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The n-stems are an intriguing part of Proto-Germanic morphology. Unlike any other noun class, the n-stems have roots that are characterized by systematic consonant and vowel alternations across the different Germanic dialects. This monograph represents a diachronic investigation of this root variation. It traces back the Germanic n-stems to their Indo-European origin, and clarifies their formal characteristics by an interaction of sound law and analogy. This book therefore is not just an attempt to account for the typology of the Germanic n-stems, but also a case study of the impact that sound change may have on the evolution of morphology and derivation.

Syntactic Reconstruction and Proto-Germanic
Syntactic Reconstruction and Proto-Germanic

Author: George Walkden

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 0198712294

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This book offers reconstructions of various syntactic properties of Proto-Germanic, including verb position in main clauses, the syntax of the wh-system, and the (non-)occurrence of null pronominal subjects and objects. Although previous studies have looked at the lexical and phonological reconstruction of Proto-Germanic, little is currently known about the syntax of the language, and it has even been argued that the reconstruction of syntax is impossible. Dr Walkden uses extensive evidence from the early Germanic languages - Old English, Old High German, Old Saxon, Old Norse, and Gothic - to show that syntactic reconstruction is not only possible but also profitable. He argues that while the reconstruction of syntax differs from lexical-phonological reconstruction due to the so-called 'correspondence problem', this is not insurmountable. In fact, the approach taken in current Minimalist theories, in which syntactic variation is attributed to the properties of lexical items, opens the door for syntactic reconstruction as lexical reconstruction. The book also discusses practical solutions for circumventing the correspondence problem, in particular the use of both distributional properties of lexical items and the phonological forms of such items in order to establish cognacy. The book will be of interest to historical linguists working on syntactic reconstruction and the Germanic languages, from graduate level upwards, as well as to advanced students of syntactic change more generally.

German
German

Author: Ruth Sanders

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2010-06-21

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 0199889163

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Thousands of years ago, seafront clans in Denmark began speaking the earliest form of Germanic language--the first of six "signal events" that Ruth Sanders highlights in this marvelous history of the German language. Blending linguistic, anthropological, and historical research, Sanders presents a brilliant biography of the language as it evolved across the millennia. She sheds light on the influence of such events as the bloody three-day Battle of Kalkriese, which permanently halted the incursion of both the Romans and the Latin language into northern Europe, and the publication of Martin Luther's German Bible translation, a "People's" Bible which in effect forged from a dozen spoken dialects a single German language. The narrative ranges through the turbulent Middle Ages, the spread of the printing press, the formation of the nineteenth-century German Empire which united the German-speaking territories north of the Alps, and Germany's twentieth-century military and cultural horrors. The book also covers topics such as the Gothic language (now extinct), the vast expansion of Germanic tribes during the Roman era, the role of the Vikings in spreading the Norse language, the branching off of Yiddish, the lasting impact of the Thirty Years War on the German psyche, the revolution of 1848, and much more. Ranging from prehistoric times to modern, post-war Germany, this engaging volume offers a fascinating account of the evolution of a major European language as well as a unique look at the history of the German people. It will appeal to everyone interested in German language, culture, or history.

On Germanic Linguistics
On Germanic Linguistics

Author: Irmengard Rauch

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2011-06-24

Total Pages: 429

ISBN-13: 3110856441

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TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks as well as studies that provide new insights by building bridges to neighbouring fields such as neuroscience and cognitive science. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing.

Language
Language

Author: Leonard Bloomfield

Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 580

ISBN-13: 9788120811966

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The book presents the fundamentals of linguistics and the historical survey of languages ​​to the reader without any complication and obscurity. It is a valuable book for students and scholars of linguistics. The author has followed the traditional order of presentation. He begins with the survey of languages ​​of the world, proceeds with the study of phonetic structure, grammatical forms, syntax and morphology, each being the indispensable preliminary to the study of the ensuing one. The book is divided into 38 chapters which gives a detailed and thorough knowledge of the subject on all important issues, such as analogic and semantic changes, cultural, intimate and dialect borrowings and scores of other points related to the subjects. Of these, Chapter 24 - Semantic Change and Chapter 25 - Cultural Borrowings are much palatable. It is in these chapters that the reader can get right away from the mechanics of language and follow the play of human mind. The book is documented with notes, bibliography, table of phonetic symbols and index.

The Oxford Handbook of Names and Naming
The Oxford Handbook of Names and Naming

Author: Carole Hough

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016-05-03

Total Pages: 801

ISBN-13: 019163042X

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In this handbook, scholars from around the world offer an up-to-date account of the state of the art in different areas of onomastics, in a format that is both useful to specialists in related fields and accessible to the general reader. Since Ancient Greece, names have been regarded as central to the study of language, and this has continued to be a major theme of both philosophical and linguistic enquiry throughout the history of Western thought. The investigation of name origins is more recent, as is the study of names in literature. Relatively new is the study of names in society, which draws on techniques from sociolinguistics and has gradually been gathering momentum over the last few decades. The structure of this volume reflects the emergence of the main branches of name studies, in roughly chronological order. The first Part focuses on name theory and outlines key issues about the role of names in language, focusing on grammar, meaning, and discourse. Parts II and III deal with the study of place-names and personal names respectively, while Part IV outlines contrasting approaches to the study of names in literature, with case studies from different languages and time periods. Part V explores the field of socio-onomastics, with chapters relating to the names of people, places, and commercial products. Part VI then examines the interdisciplinary nature of name studies, before the concluding Part presents a selection of animate and inanimate referents ranging from aircraft to animals, and explains the naming strategies adopted for them.

Languages and Cultures
Languages and Cultures

Author: Mohammad Ali Jazayery

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2010-11-05

Total Pages: 813

ISBN-13: 3110864355

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This collection of 64 papers by contributors throughout the world presents work from a variety of fields, primarily Indo-European linguistics and philology, and thus reflects the broad interests of Edgar C. Polomé.