The Oceanic Languages form a closed subgroup within one of the world 's largest language families, Austronesian. There are between 1000 and 1500 Austronesian languages (estimates vary), with so much structural diversity that they are best handled in two volumes, one on the Oceanic and one on the non-Oceanic Austronesian languages. This division is clear and the grammar sketches in this volume provide a cross-section through the structural diversity of the Oceanic languages which is not available elsewhere. Much of the material is drawn from data collected by the authors and has not been previously published.
The volume contains five background chapters: The Oceanic Languages, Sociolinguistic Background, Typological Overview, Proto-Oceanic and Internal Subgrouping. In addition, the volume presents forty-three grammar sketches, selected from the five hundred Oceanic languages spread across a region embracing eastern Indonesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia.
Autorentext
Terry Crowley, John Lynch, Malcolm Ross
Zusammenfassung
This new volume of the Language Family Series presents an overview of the Oceanic subgroup of the Austronesian languages, spread across a region embracing eastern Indonesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. It provides sufficient phonological and grammatical data to give typologists and comparativists a good idea of the nature of these languages, and of how much typological variety there is in this single subgroup. The references will allow those interested in particular topics, geographical areas or specific languages to delve further. Divided into two major parts, the first five chapters of the book place the Oceanic languages in their geographic, demographic and social context. Both the place of the Oceanic subgroup within the wider Austronesian family, and the internal subgrouping of Oceanic itself are dealt with. A typological overview of Oceanic languages is provided, as well as an outline of the reconstructed phonology and morphosyntax of Proto Oceanic. The second part of the book consists of grammar sketches of 43 Oceanic languages that are not at all well known in the linguistic literature. For many of these languages, the sketch in this volume is the first grammatical treatment to appear in print.
Inhalt
Preface Abbreviations List of illustrations 1. The Oceanic languages 2. Sociolinguistic background 3. Typological overview 4. Proto Oceanic 5. Internal subgrouping The grammar sketches Listing of Oceanic languages, by subgroup References Index to Chapters 1-5