The Indo-Aryan Languages

Colin P. Masica

Cambridge University Press, Sep 9, 1993 - Foreign Language Study - 539 pages

In his ambitious survey of the Indo-Aryan languages, Masica has provided a fundamental, comparative introduction that will interest not only general and theoretical linguists but also students of one or more languages (Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujurati, Marathi, Sinhalese, etc.) 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, writing systems, and aspects of sociolinguistics.

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This is a highly specialized work that takes a look at the languages of Northern India and their development from ancient times to the present day. This is a must have for linguists and lay ...

Contents

• TABLES: 6
• List of illustrations page ix: 6
• The modern IndoAryan languages and dialects: 8
• The historical context and development of IndoAryan: 32
• The nature of the New IndoAryan lexicon: 61
• NIA descriptive phonology: 86
• Writing systems: 133
• Historical phonology: 154
• Nominal forms and categories: 212
• Verbal forms and categories: 257
• Syntax: 331
• Inventory of NHA languages and dialects: 420
• Schemes of NHA subclassification: 446
• Notes: 464
• Bibliography: 480
• Index of languages: 511
• General index: 526

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Indo-Aryan Languages; Cambridge Language Surveys
• Author: Colin P. Masica
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1993
• ISBN: 0521299446, 9780521299442
• Length: 539 pages
• Subjects: Foreign Language Study / General; Foreign Language Study / Miscellaneous; Language Arts & Disciplines / Linguistics / Historical & Comparative; Literary Criticism / Asian / General