The Indo-Aryan Languages

Comprehensive survey of Indo-Aryan languages for theoretical linguists and students of the relevant languages.

Colin P. Masica (Author)

9780521299442, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 9 September 1993

560 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.2 cm, 0.81 kg

'Masica's new book provides the urgently needed comprehensive and linguistically sophisticated survey of NIA, and will remain the standard work for a long time to come.' Journal of Asian Studies

In his ambitious survey of the Indo-Aryan languages, Colin Masica has provided a fundamental introduction which will interest not only general and theoretical linguists but also students of one or more of these languages who want to acquaint themselves with the broader linguistic context. Generally synchronic in approach, concentrating on the phonology, morphology and syntax of the modern representatives of the group, the volume also covers their historical development, areal context, writing systems and aspects of sociolinguistics. The survey is organised not on a language-by-language basis but by topic, so that salient theoretical issues may be discussed in a comparative context.

1. Introduction
2. The modern Indo-Aryan languages and dialects
3. The historical context and development of Indo-Aryan
4. The nature of the New Indo-Aryan lexicon
5. NIA descriptive phonology
6. Writing systems
7. Historical phonology
8. Nominal forms and categories
9. Verbal forms and categories
10. Syntax
Appendix I Inventory of NIA languages and dialects
Appendix II Schemes of NIA subclassification.

Subject Areas: Historical & comparative linguistics [CFF]