A history of the study of the indigenous languages of North America / Marcin Kilarski.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kilarski, Marcin, author.

Series:

Studies in the History of the Language Sciences

Studies in the History of the Language Sciences ; v.129

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Indians of North America--Languages.

Indians of North America.

Indians--Languages--Study and teaching--History.

Indians.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (459 pages)

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam, Netherlands ; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : John Benjamins Publishing Company, [2021]

Summary:

"The languages indigenous to North America are characterized by a remarkable genetic and typological diversity. Based on the premise that linguistic examples play a key role in the origin and transmission of ideas within linguistics and across disciplines, this book examines the history of approaches to these languages through the lens of some of their most prominent properties. These properties include consonant inventories and the near absence of labials in Iroquoian languages, gender in Algonquian languages, verbs for washing in the Iroquoian language Cherokee and terms for snow and related phenomena in Eskimo-Aleut languages. By tracing the interpretations of the four examples by European and American scholars, the author illustrates their role in both lay and professional contexts as a window onto unfamiliar languages and cultures, thus allowing a more holistic view of the history of language study in North America"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Prelim pages

Table of contents

Preface and Acknowledgements

List of abbreviations

List of figures

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. The languages of North America

Chapter 3. Studies of the languages of North America

Chapter 4. Sound systems in Iroquoian languages

Chapter 5. Gender in Algonquian languages

Chapter 6. Cherokee verbs for washing

Chapter 7. Eskimo words for snow

Chapter 8. Concluding discussion

References

Index of Biographical Names

Index of Subjects and Terms

Index of Languages, Dialects and Language Families

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Other Format:

Print version: Kilarski, Marcin A History of the Study of the Indigenous Languages of North America

ISBN:

9789027258977

902725897X

OCLC:

1261773113