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books tagged “language history”
books tagged “language history”
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Alpha Beta: How 26 Letters Shaped the Western Worldby John ManISBN 047141574X (0-471-41574-X)
Hardcover, John Wiley & Sons Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Alpha Beta: How 26 Letters Shaped the Western World'Book summary:In the tradition of small books that try to explain a lot (think How the Irish Saved Civilization), John Man's Alpha Beta is an excellent survey on the history of letters. They may have played a more dramatic role in the advancement of Western culture than most people realize: "The Greeks, so this argument runs, would not have been so influential but for the invention that fixed their writings, the invention that they named after its first two signs, alpha and beta--the alphabet." This opinion will no doubt ruffle a few feathers in the classics departments at universities, which have instructed students on the intellectual and literary achievements of the Greeks for generations. Man seems to challenge the idea that the Greeks offered something inherently worthwhile. "Possibly nothing of their oral genius would have been preserved but for a piece of astonishing good fortune. They just happened to live near one of the cultures that had stumbled on the alphabet, and they just happened to be at a crucial state in social evolution that made them open to its adoption." This is a fascinating argument, and Man makes it a compelling one, although it's also possible to believe the Greeks had the additional good fortune of producing a storyteller as good as Homer.
Most of the book is a well-told tale that runs a course from the first symbols pressed into clay tablets to the advent of the Internet--the Greeks are just a piece of it. The book covers the ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Etruscans, and several other cultures in some detail. One of the most interesting sections discusses the Koreans, creators of "an alphabet that is about as far along the road towards perfection as any alphabet is likely to get." Man is a colloquial writer; reading Alpha Beta is like listening to a popular college professor lecture on his favorite topic. The complex and controversial scholarship on the alphabet becomes instantly accessible to nonexpert readers on these pages. Anyone interested in the power of words and the history of civilization will find Alpha Beta irresistible. --John Miller [via]
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Alpha Beta: How Our Alphabet Changed the Western Worldby John ManISBN 0747271364 (0-7472-7136-4)
Hardcover, Headline
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Alpha Beta: How Our Alphabet Changed the Western World'Book summary:Discovering where these 26 or so letters came from and how they have evolved over the years is far more than just an academic exercise. This is a thrilling story of adventure, passion and intrigue. [via]
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The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Rootsby Calvert WatkinsISBN 0618082506 (0-618-08250-6)
Softcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots'Book summary:Fully revised and updated, THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF INDO-EUROPEAN ROOTS remains an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the history of English and its place in the Indo-European language family. More than 13,000 words are traced to their origins in Proto-Indo-European, the prehistoric ancestor of English that was spoken before the advent of writing. In Calvert Watkinss skilled hands, Proto-Indo-European language and society are rendered as alive and compelling as they must have been six thousand years ago. His introductory essay shows how words in an unrecorded ancient language can be reconstructed and offers a wealth of fascinating information about Proto-Indo-European culture. The dictionary that follows contains nearly 1,350 reconstructed roots, plus two dozen new Language and Culture notes that explore interesting sidelights to the etymologies presented in many entries.[via]More editions of The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots:
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Ancient Egyptian: A Linguistic Introductionby Antonio LoprienoISBN 0521448492 (0-521-44849-2)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Ancient Egyptian: A Linguistic Introduction'Book summary:The language of Ancient Egypt has been the object of careful investigation since its decipherment in the nineteenth century, but this is the first accessible account that uses the insight of modern linguistics. Antonio Loprieno discusses the hieroglyphic system and its cursive varieties, and the phonology, morphology and syntax of Ancient Egyptian, as well as looking at its genetic ties with other languages of the Near East. This book will be indispensable for both linguists and Egyptologists. [via]
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The Arabic Languageby Kees VersteeghISBN 0748614362 (0-7486-1436-2)
Softcover, Columbia Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Arabic Language'Book summary:This general introduction to the Arabic Language, now available in paperback, places special emphasis on the history and variation of the language. Concentrating on the difference between the two types of Arabic - the Classical standard language and the dialects - Kees Versteegh charts the history and development of the Arabic language from the earliest beginnings to modern times. The reader is offered a solid grounding in the structure of the language, its historical context and its use in various literary and non-literary genres, as well as an understanding of the role of Arabic as a cultural, religious and political world language. Intended as an introductory guide for students of Arabic, it will also be a useful tool for discussions both from a historical linguistic and from a socio-linguistic perspective. Coverage includes all aspects of the history of Arabic, the Arabic linguistic tradition, Arabic dialects and Arabic as a world language. Links are made between linguistic history and cultural history, while the author emphasises the role of contacts between Arabic and other languages. This important book will be an ideal text for all those wishing to acquire an understanding or develop their knowledge of the Arabic language.
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A B C Et Cetera: The Life & Times of the Roman Alphabetby Alexander Humez, Nicholas HumezISBN 1567921000 (1-56792-100-0)
Softcover, David R Godine Pub
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- A B C Et Cetera: The Life & Times of the Roman Alphabet: ISBN 0879236647 (0-87923-664-7)
Softcover, David R Godine Pub - ABC Et Cetera: The Life & Times of the Roman Alphabet: ISBN 087923587X (0-87923-587-X)
Hardcover, David R Godine Pub - A B C Et Cetera: The Life & Times of the Roman Alphabet: ISBN 1567921000 (1-56792-100-0)
Softcover, David R Godine Pub
- A B C Et Cetera: The Life & Times of the Roman Alphabet: ISBN 0879236647 (0-87923-664-7)
Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents: How to Help, How to Surviveby Anna PolitkovskaiaISBN 9780805079 (978-080-507-9)
Hardcover, Metropolitan Books
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Celtic Studies: Essays in Memory of Angus Matheson, 1912-1962by Angus Matheson, David Greene, James CarneyISBN 0710060718 (0-7100-6071-8)
Hardcover, Barnes & Noble Imports
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Charles Dickensby John LucasISBN 0140772529 (0-14-077252-9)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Charles Dickens'Book summary:This study of five major novels by Dickens looks at the tensions between the "private" and "public" aspect of his work. [via]
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Chronology of Words & Phrases: A Thousand Years in the History of Englishby Roger Flavell, Linda FlavellISBN 1856264149 (1-85626-414-9)
Softcover, Kyle Cathie Ltd
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The Chronology of Words and Phrases : A Thousand Years in the History of Englishby Linda Flavell, Roger FlavellISBN 1856262499 (1-85626-249-9)
Hardcover, Cathie Limited, Kyle
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Chronology of Words and Phrases : A Thousand Years in the History of English'Book summary:[via]After reaching America, Columbus introduced Europe to new foodstuffs such as chilli and chocolate, and the words that described them. Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first "jubilee" in 1300, and Francis Bacon published the first "essay" in 1597. The Normans gave us the "feudal system" and "curfews," while the flourishing of Dutch art in the 17th century introduced "easels," "etchings," and "landscapes." Thus, throughout history, events great and small have left their mark on the way we speak. Starting from 1066 and working through to the present-day boom in techno-speak, this book links hundreds of words with the historical upheavals and minor social changes which gave them life.More editions of The Chronology of Words and Phrases : A Thousand Years in the History of English:
Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introductionby R. S. P. BeekesISBN 1556195052 (1-55619-505-2)
Softcover, John Benjamins Pub Co
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction'Book summary:The book gives a comprehensive introduction to Comparative Indo-European Linguistics, the first to appear in English. It starts with a presentation of the languages of the family (from English and the other Germanic languages, the Celtic and Slavic languages, Latin, Greek and Sanskrit through Armenian and Albanian) and a discussion of the culture and origin of the Indo-Europeans, the speakers of the Indo-European proto-language, who are considered to have lived in what is today the Ukraine.The book gives an introduction into the nature of language change and the methods of reconstruction of older language stages, with many examples (from the Indo-European languages). A full description is given of the sound changes, which makes it possible to follow the origin of the different Indo-European languages step by step. This is followed by a discussion of the development of all the morphological categories of Proto-Indo-European.
The book presents the latest in scholarly insights, like the laryngeal and glottalic theory, the accentuation, the ablaut patterns, and these are systematically integrated into the treatment.
While the book presents a large amount of material and discusses many principles and the relevant terminology, it is written in a very readable and lucid style. Use of the book is facilitated by an appendix on phonetics, a glossary, full indexes, and an extensive bibliography. The book can be used as a first introduction to the field, and at the same time brings the reader to the current moment of research. [via]More editions of Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction:
- Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction: ISBN 9027221510 (90-272-2151-0)
Softcover, J. Benjamins Pub - Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction: ISBN 9027221502 (90-272-2150-2)
Hardcover, J. Benjamins Pub - Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction: ISBN 1556195052 (1-55619-505-2)
Softcover, John Benjamins Pub Co
- Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction: ISBN 9027221510 (90-272-2151-0)
A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionaryby Herbert D. Meritt, J. R. Clark HallISBN 0802065481 (0-8020-6548-1)
Softcover, Univ of Toronto Pr
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Empires Of The Word: A Language History Of The Worldby Nicholas OstlerISBN 0060935723 (0-06-093572-3)
Softcover, Harpercollins
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World'Book summary:The story of the world in the last five thousand years is above all the story of its languages. Some shared language is what binds any community together and makes possible both the living of a common history and the telling of it.
Yet the history of the world's great languages has been very little told. Empires of the Word, by the wide-ranging linguist Nicholas Ostler, is the first to bring together the tales in all their glorious variety: the amazing innovations in education, culture, and diplomacy devised by speakers of Sumerian and its successors in the Middle East, right up to the Arabic of the present day; the uncanny resilience of Chinese through twenty centuries of invasions; the charmed progress of Sanskrit from north India to Java and Japan; the engaging self-regard of Greek; the struggles that gave birth to the languages of modern Europe; and the global spread of English.
Besides these epic ahievements, language failures are equally fascinating: Why did German get left behind? Why did Egyptian, which had survived foreign takeovers for three millennia, succumb to Mohammed's Arabic? Why is Dutch unknown in modern Indonesia, though the Netherlands had ruled the East Indies for as long as the British ruled India?
As this book splendidly and authoritatively reveals, the language history of the world shows eloquently the real character of peoples; and, for all the recent tehnical mastery of English, nothing guarantees our language's long-term preeminence. The language future, like the language past, will be full of surprises.
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The English Language: A Historical Introductionby Charles BarberISBN 0521785707 (0-521-78570-7)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The English Language: A Historical Introduction'Book summary:The English Language: A Historical Introduction covers the history of the English language from its remote Indo-European origins to the present day. It provides substantial information about the English language at different periods, and introduces the main theoretical and technical concepts of historical linguistics. Chapters on the nature of language and on language change are followed by a chronological survey, beginning in the Prehistoric age and working down from Anglo-Saxon times to the twentieth century. Topics covered include vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, semantics, attitudes to language, and English as a world language. Short passages of English are used to illustrate the state of the language in different periods and all over the world, in a range of contexts. This thoroughly updated edition of Charles Barber's The Story of Language is the ideal introduction to the subject for students of English language and linguistics, accessible to all readers who are curious about language. [via]
More editions of The English Language: A Historical Introduction:
- The English Language: A Historical Introduction: ISBN 0521426227 (0-521-42622-7)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr - The English Language: A Historical Introduction: ISBN 0521416205 (0-521-41620-5)
Hardcover, Cambridge Univ Pr - The English Language: A Historical Introduction: ISBN 0521785707 (0-521-78570-7)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
- The English Language: A Historical Introduction: ISBN 0521426227 (0-521-42622-7)
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Etymologisches Worterbuch Der Deutschen Sprache: 22. Auflage Unter Mithilfe Von Max Burgisser Und Bernd Gregor Vollig Neu Bearbeitet Vonby Friedrich Kluge, Elmar SeeboldISBN 3110068001 (3-11-006800-1)
Hardcover, Walter De Gruyter Inc
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Ferdinand De Saussureby Jonathan D. CullerISBN 0801493897 (0-8014-9389-7)
Softcover, Cornell Univ Pr
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From Latin to Modern Frenchby M.K. PopeISBN 0719001765 (0-7190-0176-5)
Hardcover, Palgrave Macmillan
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Frontier Lawmenby Lee PaulISBN 0965792951 (0-9657929-5-1)
Softcover, Jona Books
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Generative Grammarby Geoffrey C. HorrocksISBN 0582291313 (0-582-29131-3)
Softcover, Prentice Hall
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Generative Grammar'Book summary:This book provides a critical review of the development of generative grammar, both transformational and non-transformational, from the early 1960s to the present, and presents contemporary results in the context of an overall evaluation of recent research in the field. Geoffrey Horrocks compares Chomsky's approach to the study of grammar, culminating in Government and Binding theory, with two other theories which are deliberate reactions to this framework: Generalised Phrase Structure Grammar and Lexical-Functional Grammar. Whilst proponents of all three models regard themselves as generative grammarians, and share many of the same objectives, the differences between them nevertheless account for much of the recent debate in this subject. By presenting these different theories in the context of the issues that unite and divide them, the book highlights the problems which arise in any attempt to establish an adequate theory of grammatical representation. [via]
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Genes, Peoples, and Languagesby Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, Mark SeielstadISBN 0865475296 (0-86547-529-6)
Hardcover, Farrar Straus & Giroux
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Genes, Peoples, and Languages'Book summary:Jared Diamond says, "It would be a slight exaggeration to say that L.L. Cavalli-Sforza studies everything about everybody, because actually he is 'only' interested in what genes, languages, archaeology, and culture can teach us about the history and migrations of everybody for the last several hundred thousand years." Cavalli-Sforza has been the leading architect of a revolution (even a paradigm shift) in human genetics since the 1960s. Because of his work, geneticists no longer think that the human species is divided into color-coded races. Cavalli-Sforza's studies of the transmission of family names in Italy, of the relationship between human genes and languages, of migration and marriage, are the benchmarks of our biological self-understanding.
Genes, Peoples, and Languages is less personal than Cavalli-Sforza's preceding book, The Great Human Diasporas: The History of Diversity and Evolution. And it is far more compact than the magisterial The History and Geography of Human Genes (available abridged for those who prefer not to buy books by the pound). Instead, it is a an excellent overview of Cavalli-Sforza's many-faceted approach to human history and our present condition. It is that rarest of achievements, holistic without any trace of mushy-mindedness. --Mary Ellen Curtin [via]
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Greek: A History of the Language and Its Speakersby Geoffrey C. HorrocksISBN 0582307090 (0-582-30709-0)
Softcover, Pearson P T R
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Greek: A History of the Language and Its Speakers'Book summary:Tracing the development of the Greek language from the Mycenean period of the second millenium BC to the late 1990s, this volume combines both external and internal history into a single narrative. It explores, in English, the evolution of the Greek language as a whole, in all its regional and social heterogeneity, and in both its spoken and written forms. The main study is supported throughout by detailed summaries of key developments in checklist form and an examination of selected texts to highlight major points. Maps are also used to illustrate more clearly the distribution of the ancient dialects and the geographical spread of the language in the early Middle Ages. A bibliography for further reading and study is also provided. [via]
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The Greek Languageby Leonard R. PalmerISBN 1853994669 (1-85399-466-9)
Softcover, Intl Pub Marketing Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Greek Language'Book summary:[via]In this companion volume to his earlier work, The Latin Language, Leonard R. Palmer now provides a history of The Greek Language, including an overview of the coming of the Greeks, the Linear B. Tablets, the Greek dialects, genres (in poetry and prose), and a comparative-historical grammar. Palmer discusses the transformation of the Greek language from its Indo-European roots, through the Bronze and Dark Ages, to the Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods and beyond. Major authors and genres are discussed throughout the history, including essays on Homer, Melic poetry, tragedy, Herodotus and Thucydides.
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The Handbook of Language Variation and Changeby Peter Trudgill, J.K. Chambers, Natalie Schilling-EstesISBN 1405116927 (1-4051-1692-7)
Softcover, Blackwell Pub
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Handbook of Language Variation and Change'Book summary:The Handbook of Language Variation and Change, written by a distinguished international roster of contributors, reflects the vitality and growth of the discipline in its multifaceted pursuits. It is a convenient, hand-held repository of the essential knowledge about the study of language variation and change.
- Written by internationally recognized experts in the field.
- Reflects the vitality and growth of the discipline.
- Discusses the ideas that drive the field and is illustrated with empirical studies.
- Includes explanatory introductions which set out the boundaries of the field and place each of the chapters into perspective.
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- Written by internationally recognized experts in the field.
Have You Ever Wondered?by Mary A. GoldsmithISBN 0805942742 (0-8059-4274-2)
Softcover, Dorrance Pub Co
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Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind The Rhymeby Chris RobertsISBN 1592402178 (1-59240-217-8)
Softcover, Gotham Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme'Book summary:Was Little Jack Horner a squatter? "Baa Baa Black Sheep" a bleat about taxation? What did Jack and Jill really do on that hill? Chris Roberts reveals the seamy and quirky stories behind our favorite nursery rhymes.
Nursery rhymes are rarely as innocent as they seemthere is a wealth of concealed meaning in our familiar childhood verse. More than a century after Queen Victoria decided that children were better off without the full story, London librarian Chris Roberts brings the truth to light. He traces the origins of the subtle phrases and antiquated references, revealing religious hatred, political subversion, and sexual innuendo.
Roberts reveals that when Jack, nimble and quick, jumped over a candlestick, he was reenacting a popular sport that tested whether a person was lean and healthy. Humpty Dumpty was actually a cannon mounted on the walls of a church in Colchester, blown up during the English Civil War. Few know that the cockles in "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary" actually refer to cuckolds in the promiscuous court of Mary Queen of Scots. Or that "Rub-a-dub-dub, three maids in a tub" was inspired by a fairground peepshow.
A fascinating history lesson that makes astonishing connections to contemporary popular culture, Heavy Words Lightly Thrown is for Anglophiles, parents, history buffs, and anyone who has ever wondered about the origins of rhymes. The book features a glossary of slang and historical terms, and spooky silhouettes of nursery-rhyme characters to accompany the rhymes. Mother Goose will never look the same again. [via]
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History of the French Languageby Peter RickardISBN 041510887X (0-415-10887-X)
Softcover, Unwin Hyman
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› Find signed collectible books: 'History of the French Language'Book summary:This well-established and popular book provides students with all the linguistic background they need for studying any period of French literature. For the second edition the text has been revised and updated throughout, and the two final chapters on contemporary French, and its position as a world language, have been completely rewritten. Starting with a brief description of the Vulgar Latin spoken in Gaul, and the earliest recorded forms of French, Peter Rickard traces the development of the language through the later Middle Ages and Renaissance to show how it became standardized in a near modern form in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. [via]
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A History of the Spanish Languageby Ralph PennyISBN 0521805872 (0-521-80587-2)
Hardcover, Cambridge University Press
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› Find signed collectible books: 'A History of the Spanish Language'Book summary:This book provides a clear and elegant account of the development of Spanish over the last 2000 years. Although principally oriented towards 'internal' history, 'external' history is considered in outline in the Introduction and is referred to throughout. The four principal chapters deal in detail with phonological development, and with morpho-syntactical, lexical and semantic change. Professor Penny's treatment of the sound-system is in terms both of broad patterns of change and specific phonemic developments, and is described in two main phases: spoken Latin to medieval Spanish, and medieval to modern Spanish. In the chapter on morpho-syntax, grammatical morphology and lexical morphology are treated separately, with particular attention paid to word formation. The sources of Spanish vocabulary, inherited and borrowed, are discussed in Chapter 4, and Chapter 5 is concerned with causes, typology and effects of semantic change. Written as a textbook, the comprehensive coverage of the major varieties of Spanish given here will be welcomed by scholars and students alike. [via]
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Homer and the Origin of the Greek Alphabetby Barry B. PowellISBN 052158907X (0-521-58907-X)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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Indo-European and the Indo-Europeans: A Reconstruction and Historical Analysis of a Proto-Language and a Proto-Culture The Textby Thomas V. Gamkrelidze, Vjaceslav V. Ivanov, Werner WinterISBN 3110096463 (3-11-009646-3)
Hardcover, Walter De Gruyter Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Indo-European and the Indo-Europeans: A Reconstruction and Historical Analysis of a Proto-Language and a Proto-Culture The Text'Book summary:The authors propse a revision of views on a number of central issues of Indo-European studies. Based on findings of typology, they suggest an analysis of the phonological system of Proto-Indo-European (the "glottalic" theory); they offer novel assumptions about the relative chronology of changes in PIE vowels and laryngeals. Their conclusions are compared with data from Paroto-Kartvelian. In the second part of the book, a semantically organized presentation of material from the lexicon is combined with analyses of the use of forms and formulae in a broadly defined cultural context. Again similarities with properties of primarily Kartvelian and Semitic are described, and extended close contacts with these language families are postulated. This necessarily leads to a proposal to place the hypothetical Urheimat of the Indo-Europeans in the region south of the Caucasus. Volume I and II of the original Russian edition have been combined in the English version as Part I; the bibliography and indexes are published as Part II. [via]
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Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introductionby Benjamin FortsonISBN 1405103167 (1-4051-0316-7)
Softcover, Blackwell Pub
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction'Book summary:Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction provides a comprehensive overview of comparative Indo-European linguistics and the branches of the Indo-European language family, covering both linguistic and cultural material.
- Fills a long-present gap in the literature of Indo-European studies.
- Designed for use in courses, with exercises and suggestions for further reading included in each chapter.
- Discusses linguistic and cultural developments for each branch of the Indo-European language family.
- Provides an overview of Proto-Indo-European culture, society, and language.
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- Fills a long-present gap in the literature of Indo-European studies.
An Introduction to Historical Linguisticsby Terry CrowleyISBN 9980840048 (9980-84-004-8)
Softcover, University of Papua New Guinea Press
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Japanese/Korean Linguisticsby William McClureISBN 1575864428 (1-57586-442-8)
Softcover, Univ of Chicago Pr
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Language And Society in the German-speaking Countriesby Michael G. ClyneISBN 0521276977 (0-521-27697-7)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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The Languages of Chinaby S. Robert RamseyISBN 069101468X (0-691-01468-X)
Softcover, Princeton Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Languages of China'Book summary:"In producing a book on China as a linguistic area, the ideal is a comprehensive and accurate account that places China's linguistic diversity in a meaningful historical, geographical, and social context. Ramsey has succeeded admirably in achieving this end."--Jerome L. Packard, The Journal of Asian Studies ". . . a unique and brilliant work. . . . Ramsey integrates nearly all of the gains of modern research on the Chinese language and skillfully presents the results in a concise, interesting, and comprehensible manner."--Charles N. Li, American Anthropologist ". . . I find The Languages of China a pleasure in virtually all respects. It is extremely easy to read, full of useful information, and beautifully produced."--Victor H. Mair, Pacific Affairs [via]
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The Languages of Japanby Masayoshi ShibataniISBN 0521369185 (0-521-36918-5)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Languages of Japan'Book summary:This book surveys the two main indigenous languages of Japan, Japanese and Ainu. No genetic relationship has been established between them, and structurally they differ significantly. Shibatani has therefore divided his study into two independent parts. The first is the most comprehensive study of the polysynthetic Ainu language yet to appear in English. The second part deals extensively with Japanese. It discusses topics from the evolution of the writing system and the differences between men's and women's speech, to issues of greater theoretical complexity, such as phonology, the lexicon and word formation, and the syntax of agglutinative morphology. As an American trained scholar in Japan, the author is in a unique position that affords him a dual perspective on language deriving from Western linguistic scholarship and the Japanese grammatical tradition. [via]
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Latin or the Empire of a Sign: From the Sixteenth to the Twentieth Centuriesby Francoise Waquet, John HoweISBN 1859844022 (1-85984-402-2)
Softcover, Verso Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Latin or the Empire of a Sign: From the Sixteenth to the Twentieth Centuries'Book summary:A highly original and accessible history of Latin between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries.
A highly original and accessible history of Latin between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries that explores how Latin came to dominate the civic and sacred worlds of Europe and, arguably, the entire western world. [via]More editions of Latin or the Empire of a Sign: From the Sixteenth to the Twentieth Centuries:
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Latin: or The Empire of the Signby Francoise Waquet, John HoweISBN 1859846157 (1-85984-615-7)
Hardcover, Verso Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Latin: or The Empire of the Sign'Book summary:This work explores the institutional contexts in which the language was adopted and transmitted as well as the privilege it came to confer on those that studied it. Waquet demonstrates how Latin became a symbol of status and ultimately shows that rather than disappearing this has given way to a nostalgic exoticism such that water companies and car-models now use Latin names. [via]
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Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United Statesby Bill BrysonISBN 0380713810 (0-380-71381-0)
Softcover, Avon Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States'Book summary:Readers from Toad Suck, Arkansas, to Idiotsville, Oregon--and everywhere in between--will love Made in America, Bill Bryson's Informal History of the English Language in the United States. It is, in a word, fascinating. After reading this tour de force, it's clear that a nation's language speaks volumes about its true character: you are what you speak. Bryson traces America's history through the language of the time, then goes on to discuss words culled from everyday activities: immigration, eating, shopping, advertising, going to the movies, and others.
Made in America will supply you with interesting facts and cocktail chatter for a year or more. Did you know, for example, that Teddy Roosevelt's "speak softly and carry a big stick" credo has its roots in a West African proverb? Or that actor Walter Matthau's given name is Walter Mattaschanskayasky? Or that the supposedly frigid Puritans--who called themselves "Saints," by the way--had something called a pre-contract, which was a license for premarital sex? Made in America is an excellent discussion of American English, but what makes the book such a treasure is that it offers much, much more. [via]
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Modern Chinese: History and Sociolinguisticsby Ping ChenISBN 0521645727 (0-521-64572-7)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Modern Chinese: History and Sociolinguistics'Book summary:The Chinese language, spoken by over one billion people, has undergone drastic changes over the past century. This book presents a comprehensive, up-to-date account of the development of Modern Chinese from the late nineteenth century to the 1990s. It describes and analyzes in detail, from historical and sociolinguistic perspectives, the establishment and promotion of Modern Spoken Chinese and Modern Written Chinese, and the reform of the Chinese script, and reveals the interaction of linguistic, historical and social factors in the recent development of the language. [via]
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The Mother Tongue: English & How It Got That Wayby Bill BrysonISBN 0380715430 (0-380-71543-0)
Softcover, Avon Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Mother Tongue: English & How It Got That Way'Book summary:Who would have thought that a book about English would be so entertaining? Certainly not this grammar-allergic reviewer, but The Mother Tongue pulls it off admirably. Bill Bryson--a zealot--is the right man for the job. Who else could rhapsodize about "the colorless murmur of the schwa" with a straight face? It is his unflagging enthusiasm, seeping from between every sentence, that carries the book.
Bryson displays an encyclopedic knowledge of his topic, and this inevitably encourages a light tone; the more you know about a subject, the more absurd it becomes. No jokes are necessary, the facts do well enough by themselves, and Bryson supplies tens per page. As well as tossing off gems of fractured English (from a Japanese eraser: "This product will self-destruct in Mother Earth."), Bryson frequently takes time to compare the idiosyncratic tongue with other languages. Not only does this give a laugh (one word: Welsh), and always shed considerable light, it also makes the reader feel fortunate to speak English. [via]
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A Mouthful of Air: Language, Languages...Especially Englishby Anthony BurgessISBN 068813789X (0-688-13789-X)
Softcover, Harpercollins
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› Find signed collectible books: 'A Mouthful of Air: Language, Languages...Especially English'Book summary:A survey of language describes how it reached its present state, how it operates, and how it will develop in the future, discussing such topics as Shakespeare's pronunciation, low-life language, and English's place in the world. 30,000 first printing. $25,000 ad/promo. [via]
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Old English and Its Closest Relatives: A Survey of the Earliest Germanic Languagesby Orrin W. RobinsonISBN 0804722218 (0-8047-2221-8)
Softcover, Stanford Univ Pr
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Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionaryby Simon WinchesterISBN 0783885008 (0-7838-8500-8)
Hardcover, Thorndike Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary'Book summary:The compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary, 70 years in the making, was an intellectually heroic feat with a twist worthy of the greatest mystery fiction: one of its most valuable contributors was a criminally insane American physician, locked up in an English asylum for murder. British stage actor Simon Jones leads us through this uncommon meeting of minds (the other belonging to self-educated dictionary editor James Murray) at full gallop. Ultimately, it's hard to say which is more remarkable: the facts of this amazingly well-researched story, or the sound of author Simon Winchester's erudite prose. Jones's reading smoothly transports listeners to the 19th century, reminding us why so many brilliant people obsessively set out to catalogue the English language. This unabridged version contains an interview between Winchester and John Simpson, editor of the Oxford dictionary. (Running time: 6.5 hours, 6 cassettes) --Lou Schuler [via]
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Romance Languagesby Rebecca PosnerISBN 0521281393 (0-521-28139-3)
Softcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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Scandinavian Loan-Words in Middle Englishby Erik BjorkmanISBN 0837118034 (0-8371-1803-4)
Hardcover, Greenwood Press
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The Stories of Englishby David CrystalISBN 1585677191 (1-58567-719-1)
Softcover, Overlook Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Stories of English'Book summary:The English language is now accepted as the global lingua franca of the modern age, spoken or written in by over a quarter of the human race. But how did it evolve? How did a language spoken originally by a few thousand Anglo-Saxons become one used by more than 1,500 million? What developments can be seen as we move from Beowulf to Chaucer to Shakespeare to Dickens and the present day? A host of fascinating questions are answered in The Stories of English ? a groundbreaking history of the language by David Crystal, the world-renowned writer and commentator on English. Many books have been written about English, but they have all focused on a single variety ? the educated, printed language called ?standard? English. David Crystal turns the history of English on its head and instead provides a startlingly original view of where the richness, creativity and diversity of the language truly lies ? in the accents and dialects of nonstandard English users all over the world. Whatever their regional, social or ethnic background, each group has a story worth telling, whether it is in Scotland or Somerset, South Africa or Singapore. Interweaved within this central chronological story are accounts of uses of dialect around the world as well as in literary classics from The Canterbury Tales to The Lord of the Rings. For the first time, regional speech and writing is placed centre stage, giving a sense of the social realities behind the development of English. This significant shift in perspective enables the reader to understand for the first time the importance of everyday, previously marginalized, voices in our language and provides an argument too for the way English should be taught in the future. [via]
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The Story of Englishby Robert McCrum, William Cran, Robert MacNeilISBN 0140154051 (0-14-015405-1)
Softcover, Penguin Group (Canada)
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Story of English'Book summary:[via]Now revised, The Story of English is the first book to tell the whole story of the English language. Originally paired with a major PBS miniseries, this book presents a stimulating and comprehensive record of spoken and written Englishfrom its Anglo-Saxon origins some two thousand years ago to the present day, when English is the dominant language of commerce and culture with more than one billion English speakers around the world. From Cockney, Scouse, and Scots to Gulla, Singlish, Franglais, and the latest African American slang, this sweeping history of the English language is the essential introduction for anyone who wants to know more about our common tongue.
More editions of The Story of English:
- The Story of English: ISBN 0142002313 (0-14-200231-3)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - The Story of English: ISBN 0140094350 (0-14-009435-0)
Softcover, Penguin Books - The Story of English: ISBN 0840340354 (0-8403-4035-4)
Softcover, Kendall Hunt Pub Co - The Story of English: ISBN 0670804673 (0-670-80467-3)
Hardcover, Penguin Group USA - The Story of English: ISBN 0140154051 (0-14-015405-1)
Softcover, Penguin Group (Canada)
- The Story of English: ISBN 0142002313 (0-14-200231-3)
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The Story of Writing: With over 350 Illustrations, 50 in Colorby Andrew RobinsonISBN 0500016658 (0-500-01665-8)
Hardcover, W W Norton & Co Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Story of Writing: With over 350 Illustrations, 50 in Color'Book summary:People can be interested in language, writing and scripts. They may wonder how, when and where did writing evolve? Do alphabets function better than hieroglyphs? And are we today, in the computer age, moving towards a "universal language" of signs and symbols? This text aims to demystify writing for the general reader. It explains the interconnection between sound, symbol and script for each of the major writing systems in turn, and discovers and deciphers writing forms from cuneiform and Egyptian and Maya hieroglyphs to alphabets and the scripts of China and Japan today. Throughout, the reader is guided by step-by-step graphic analysis of the way each script works, with illustrated examples. [via]
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The Story of Writing: Alphabets, Hieroglyphs, and Pictogramsby Andrew RobinsonISBN 0500281564 (0-500-28156-4)
Softcover, Thames & Hudson
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Story of Writing: Alphabets, Hieroglyphs, and Pictograms'Book summary:People can be interested in language, writing and scripts. They may wonder how, when and where did writing evolve? Do alphabets function better than hieroglyphs? And are we today, in the computer age, moving towards a "universal language" of signs and symbols? This text aims to demystify writing for the general reader. It explains the interconnection between sound, symbol and script for each of the major writing systems in turn, and discovers and deciphers writing forms from cuneiform and Egyptian and Maya hieroglyphs to alphabets and the scripts of China and Japan today. Throughout, the reader is guided by step-by-step graphic analysis of the way each script works, with illustrated examples. [via]
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Swearing: A Social History of Foul Language, Oaths and Profanity in Englishby Geoffrey HughesISBN 0631187359 (0-631-18735-9)
Softcover, Blackwell Pub
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Swearing: A Social History of Foul Language, Oaths and Profanity in English'Book summary:This is the history of the lexical underworld of the English language. It details the story of impropriety in language and of the lower registers of the foul and obscene. From the earliest times swearing has existed in many variegated forms from the deadly curse to trivial expletives occasioned by annoyance. The book tells of the use of magic in primitive societies, of the binding oath of the Anglo-Saxon warrior and of blasphemy in the medieval age of faith. It describes how in the Renaissance swearing acquired a more secular idiom, and how the conflict between linguistic exuberance and official exuberance lasted up until modern times. There are also sections on the various types of abuse - racist and sexist among others. [via]
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Textual Scholarship: An Introductionby D. C. GreethamISBN 0815317913 (0-8153-1791-3)
Softcover, Routledge
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The Twenty-Six Lettersby Oscar OggISBN 0690841159 (0-690-84115-9)
Hardcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour Of Mankind's Greatest Inventionby Guy DeutscherISBN 0805080120 (0-8050-8012-0)
Softcover, Owl Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention'Book summary:Blending the spirit of Eats, Shoots & Leaves with the science of The Language Instinct, an original inquiry into the development of that most essential-and mysterious-of human creations: Language[via]
Language is mankind's greatest invention-except, of course, that it was never invented." So begins linguist Guy Deutscher's enthralling investigation into the genesis and evolution of language. If we started off with rudimentary utterances on the level of "man throw spear," how did we end up with sophisticated grammars, enormous vocabularies, and intricately nuanced degrees of meaning?
Drawing on recent groundbreaking discoveries in modern linguistics, Deutscher exposes the elusive forces of creation at work in human communication, giving us fresh insight into how language emerges, evolves, and decays. He traces the evolution of linguistic complexity from an early "Me Tarzan" stage to such elaborate single-word constructions as the Turkish sehirlilestiremediklerimizdensiniz ("you are one of those whom we couldn't turn into a town dweller"). Arguing that destruction and creation in language are intimately entwined, Deutscher shows how these processes are continuously in operation, generating new words, new structures, and new meanings.
As entertaining as it is erudite, The Unfolding of Language moves nimbly from ancient Babylonian to American idiom, from the central role of metaphor to the staggering triumph of design that is the Semitic verb, to tell the dramatic story and explain the genius behind a uniquely human faculty.More editions of The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour Of Mankind's Greatest Invention:
French
L'accent Du Souvenirby Bernard CerquigliniISBN 2707315362 (2-7073-1536-2)
Hardcover, Editions De Minuit
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L'aventure Des Langues En Occident: Leur Origine, Leur Histoire, Leur Geographieby Henriette WalterISBN 2221059182 (2-221-05918-2)
Hardcover, R. Laffont
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Dictionnaire Historique De L'orthographe Francaiseby Nina CatachISBN 2033403300 (2-03-340330-0)
Hardcover, Larousse
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L'evolution Du Francais: Ordre Des Mots, Demonstratifs, Accent Toniqueby Christiane Marchello-NiziaISBN 2200215754 (2-200-21575-4)
Hardcover, A. Colin
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Le Francais D'ici, De La, De La-Basby Henriette WalterISBN 2709616505 (2-7096-1650-5)
Hardcover, JC Lattes
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Le Francais D'ici, De La, De La-Bas'Book summary:416pages. 23,8x15,4x3,6cm. Broché. [via]
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Le Francais Dans Tous Les Sensby Henriette WalterISBN 2221052544 (2-221-05254-4)
Hardcover, R. Laffont
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Le Grand Livre De La Langue Francaiseby Marina Yaguello, Claire Blanche-BenvenisteISBN 2020336278 (2-02-033627-8)
Hardcover, Seuil
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Histoire De La Langue Francaiseby Jacques ChaurandISBN 2130377599 (2-13-037759-9)
Hardcover, Presses universitaires de France
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Honni Soit Qui Mal Y Pense: L'incroyable Histoire D'amour Entre Le Francais Et L'anglaisby Henriette WalterISBN 222108165X (2-221-08165-X)
Hardcover, R. Laffont
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Les Inventeurs Du Bon Usage: 1529-1647by Danielle TrudeauISBN 2707314102 (2-7073-1410-2)
Hardcover, Editions De Minuit
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La Langue Des Rois Au Moyen Age: Le Francais En France Et En Angleterreby Serge LusignanISBN 2130543928 (2-13-054392-8)
Hardcover, Presses universitaires de France
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Nouvelle Histoire De La Langue Francaiseby Jacques ChaurandISBN 2020235862 (2-02-023586-2)
Hardcover, Editions Du Seuil
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L'orthographe Francaise: Traite Theorique Et Pratique Avec Des Travaux D'application Et Leurs Corrigesby Nina Catach, Claude Gruaz, Daniel DuprezISBN 2091905100 (2-09-190510-0)
Hardcover, Nathan
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› Find signed collectible books: 'L'orthographe Francaise: Traite Theorique Et Pratique Avec Des Travaux D'application Et Leurs Corriges'Book summary:Text: French [via]
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Quand L'Europe Parlait Francaisby Marc FumaroliISBN 2877064263 (2-87706-426-3)
Hardcover, Fallois
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Meshuggenary: Celebrating the World of Yiddishby Sol Steinmetz, Payson R. Stevens, Charles M. LevineISBN 0743227425 (0-7432-2742-5)
Hardcover, Simon & Schuster
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Meshuggenary: Celebrating the World of Yiddish'Book summary:Rumors that Yiddish is a dead language are greatly exaggerated. In fact, both the Yiddish language and culture are alive and well in America and elsewhere. English speakers take note: The Random House Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary both contain almost 100 Yiddish words that are now considered part of the English language. The impact of Yiddish culture is strongly felt in the films of Woody Allen, in Broadway shows like The Producers, and in television sitcoms such as The Nanny and Seinfeld in the tradition of the comic headliners of the Catskills. The world of Yiddish reaches out and embraces us in the literature of Isaac Bashevis Singer and Art Spiegelman, the culinary offerings of innumerable delicatessens, and the renewed popularity of klezmer music.
Yiddish is rich and soulful, thick with pathos, full of humor and self-deprecating wit and sarcasm -- as a language it uniquely captures the essence of what, or who, it describes. If you've ever noshed on a bagel, or yelled at the schmuck who had the chutzpah to cut you off at the traffic light, you've been enriched and empowered by Yiddish.
Beautifully designed and illustrated, Meshuggenary is a deeply researched and eclectic introduction to Yiddish language, culture, and history. It explores the basics of Yiddish vocabulary and grammar; proverbs, expressions, blessings, curses, and insults; and even the difference between Yiddish, Yinglish (Yiddish-origin words now part of English), and Yiddlish (words that sound Yiddish but aren't). There are chapters on Yiddish humor, literature, theater, and music; a who's who of Yiddish luminaries; and a captivating glimpse of the contributions of women to its literature and culture. So you shouldn't go hungry, there's a chapter on food with a tempting selection of family recipes. And if this little taste isn't enough to satisfy you, there's information on a host of books and Yiddish Web sites and Internet links.
Erudite, accessible, highly informative, and enormously entertaining, Meshuggenary is an irresistible pleasure. [via]
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Swedish
Runor: Historia, Tydning, Tolkningby Lars Magnar EnoksenISBN 9188930327 (91-88930-32-7)
Hardcover, Historiska media
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German
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Etymologisches Worterbuch Der Deutschen Spracheby Elmar SeeboldISBN 3110163926 (3-11-016392-6)
Hardcover, Walter De Gruyter Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Etymologisches Worterbuch Der Deutschen Sprache'Book summary:The Kluge is the famous standard dictionary of German etymology. It comprehensively informs about the historical development and forming of 13,000 German and foreign words. For this edition, the editor has carefully examined, revised and updated the entire text. For the first time the Kluge is published with a CD-ROM that allows detailed and quick inquiries. The layout of the pages and the book cover have a new design, and the book will have a modern appearance. System Requirements: Windows 95/98/ME/2000/NT 4.0/XP 80486 processor (Pentium recommended) Minimum 16 MB RAM (32 MB RAM recommended) Minimum 18 MB free diskspace (cd drive) Minimum 40 MB free diskspace (full installation) [via]
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