The Ancient Languages of Asia and the Americas

A convenient, portable paperback derived from the acclaimed Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages.

Roger D. Woodard (Edited by)

9780521684941, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 10 April 2008

286 pages, 1 map 16 tables
24.3 x 18.9 x 1.9 cm, 0.52 kg

This book, derived from the acclaimed Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages, describes the ancient languages of Asia and the Americas, for the convenience of students and specialists working in that area. Each chapter of the work focuses on an individual language or, in some instances, a set of closely related varieties of a language. Providing a full descriptive presentation, each of these chapters examines the writing system(s), phonology, morphology, syntax and lexicon of that language, and places the language within its proper linguistic and historical context. The volume brings together an international array of scholars, each a leading specialist in ancient language study. While designed primarily for scholars and students of linguistics, this work will prove invaluable to all whose studies take them into the realm of ancient language.

Editor's foreword Roger D. Woodard
1. Language in ancient Asia and the Americas: an introduction Roger D. Woodard
2. Sanskrit Stephanie W. Jamison
3. Middle Indic Stephanie W. Jamison
4. Old Tamil Sanford B. Steever
5. Old Persian Rüdiger Schmitt
6. Avestan Mark Hale
7. Pahlavi Mark Hale
8. Ancient Chinese Alain Peyraube
9. Mayan Victoria R. Bricker
10. Epi-Olmec (Zapotec Appendix) Terrence Kaufman and John Justeson
Appendix 1. Reconstructed ancient languages Don Ringe
Appendix 2. Full table of contents from The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages.

Subject Areas: Hispanic & Latino studies [JFSL4], Archaeology [HD], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA], History of the Americas [HBJK], Asian history [HBJF], Language: history & general works [CBX]