Australian languages : classification and the comparative method / edited by Claire Bowern, Harold Koch.

Format:

Book

Conference/Event

Author/Creator:

International Conference on Historical Linguistics, Corporate Author.

Contributor:

Bowern, Claire, 1977-

Koch, Harold.

Conference Name:

International Conference on Historical Linguistics (15th : 2001 : Melbourne, Vic.)

International Conference on Historical Linguistics.

Series:

Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Current issues in linguistic theory ; Series IV, v. 249.

Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Series IV, Current issues in linguistic theory, 0304-0763 ; v. 249

Language:

Australian languages

English

Subjects (All):

Australian languages--Classification--Congresses.

Australian languages.

Historical linguistics--Congresses.

Historical linguistics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (702 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; Philadelphia : John Benjamins Pub., c2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book addresses controversial issues in the application of the comparative method to the languages of Australia which have recently come to international prominence. Are these languages 'different' in ways that challenge the fundamental assumptions of historical linguistics? Can subgrouping be successfully undertaken using the Comparative Method? Is the genetic construct of a far-flung 'Pama-Nyungan' language family supportable by classic methods of reconstruction? Contrary to increasingly established views of the Australian scene, this book makes a major contribution to the demonstration that traditional methods can indeed be applied to these languages. These studies, introduced by chapters on subgrouping methodology and the history of Australian linguistic classification, rigorously apply the comparative method to establishing subgroups among Australian languages and justifying the phonology of Proto-Pama-Nyungan. Individual chapters can profitably be read either for their contribution to Australian linguistic prehistory or as case studies in the application of the comparative method.

Contents:

AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGES

Editorial page

Title page

LCC page

CONTENTS

in memoriam, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

MAP

CONTRIBUTORS' ADDRESSES

FOREWORD

1. INTRODUCTION

2. A METHODOLOGICAL HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN LINGUISTIC CLASSIFICATION

3. PAMA-NYUNGAN AS A GENETIC ENTITY

4. THE COHERENCE AND DISTINCTIVENESS OF PAMA-NYUNGAN

5. PAMA-NYUNGAN: PHONOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION AND STATUS AS A PHYLOGENETIC GROUP

6. THE ARANDIC SUBGROUP OF AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGES

7. THE NGUMPIN-YAPA SUBGROUP

8. THURA-YURA AS A SUBGROUP

9. THE YARLI LANGUAGES

10. EVOLUTION OF THE VERB CONJUGATIONS IN THE NGARNA LANGUAGES

11. THE FAILURE OF THE EVIDENCE OF SHARED INNOVATIONS IN CAPE YORK PENINSULA

12. DIAGNOSTIC SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NYULNYULAN AND NEIGHBOURING LANGUAGES

13. REVISITING PROTO-MIRNDI

14. STEM FORMS AND PARADIGM RESHAPING IN GUNWINYGUAN

REFERENCES

LANGUAGE INDEX

SUBJECT INDEX

Appendices

APPENDIX 1

APPENDIX 4.1

APPENDIX 4.2

APPENDIX 5.1

APPENDIX 5.2

APPENDIX 6

APPENDIX 8.1

APPENDIX 8.2

APPENDIX 9

APPENDIX 10.1

APPENDIX 10.2

APPENDIX 10.3

APPENDIX 11

APPENDIX 12.1

APPENDIX 12.2

APPENDIX 12.3

APPENDIX 14

APPENDIX 15

CURRENT ISSUES IN LINGUISTIC THEORY.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 341-364) and indexes.

ISBN:

9786612255236

9781423766414

1423766415

9781282255234

1282255231

9789027295118

9027295115

OCLC:

70773110