Comparative Indo-European Linguistics

An introduction

Second edition

Robert S.P. Beekes
University of Leiden
Revised and corrected by: Michiel de Vaan
This book gives a comprehensive introduction to Comparative Indo-European Linguistics. It starts with a presentation of the languages of the family (from English and the other Germanic languages, the Celtic and Slavic languages, Latin, Greek and Sanskrit through Armenian and Albanian) and a discussion of the culture and origin of the Indo-Europeans, the speakers of the Indo-European proto-language.

The reader is introduced into the nature of language change and the methods of reconstruction of older language stages, with many examples (from the Indo-European languages). A full description is given of the sound changes, which makes it possible to follow the origin of the different Indo-European languages step by step. This is followed by a discussion of the development of all the morphological categories of Proto-Indo-European.

The book presents the latest in scholarly insights, like the laryngeal and glottalic theory, the accentuation, the ablaut patterns, and these are systematically integrated into the treatment.

The text of this second edition has been corrected and updated by Michiel de Vaan. Sixty-six new exercises enable the student to practice the reconstruction of PIE phonology and morphology.

This title replaces Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An introduction.

[Not in series, 172]  2011.  xxiv, 415 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Hardbound – Available
ISBN 9789027211859 | EUR 105.00 | USD 158.00
 
Paperback – Available
ISBN 9789027211866 | EUR 36.00 | USD 54.00
 
e-Book – Sold by e-book platforms
ISBN 9789027285003 | EUR 105.00 | USD 158.00
 
Google Edition – Forthcoming
ISBN 9789027285003 | EUR 36.00 | USD 54.00
 
 

Table of Contents

Preface
xv–xvii
Preface to the Second Edition
xix–xx
List of Abbreviations
xxi–xxii
Transcription
xxiii
List of Exercises
xxiv
Part I
General section
1. Introduction
3–9
2. The Indo-European Family of Languages
11–33
3. The Culture and Origin of the Indo-Europeans
35–53
4. Sound Change
55–71
Language change
5. Analogy
75–82
6. Other Form-Changes
83–84
7. Vocabulary Changes
85–92
8. Morphological and Syntactic Change
93–98
Reconstruction
9. Internal Reconstruction
99–103
10. The Comparative Method
107–115
Part II
Comparative Indo-European Linguistics
11. The Sounds and the Accent
119–167
Morphology
12. Introduction
171–178
13. The Substantive
179–217
14. The Adjective
219–223
15. The Pronoun
225–236
16. The Numerals
237–243
17. Indeclinable Words
245–250
18. The Verb
251–288
Appendix
289–310
Bibliography
311–342
Maps
343–358
Illustrations
359–386
Indexes
387–415

Quotes

“Beekes's handbook is perhaps the most thorough and imaginative study of Proto-Indo-European since Meillet's Introduction à l'étude comparative des langues indo-européennes (1937).”
The Times Literary Supplement, Oct. 19-25, 1990, on the original Dutch version
“B's book has many good qualities that make it attractive for an introductory course in either historical and comparative linguistics or specifically Indo-European linguistics.”
Steven Schäufele, in Studies in Language, 1998, on the first English edition
“With its original approach, with its keen awareness of the latest developments in theory and application, with the rigorous systematic presentation of the facts in a lucid style, this handbook presents what is probably the most up-to-date and manageable introduction to Indo-European presently available.”
Edgar C. Polomé, in The Journal of Indo-European Studies, 1996, on the first English edition

Subjects

Benjamins Subject classification

Linguistics

BIC Subject

CFF: Historical & comparative linguistics

BISAC Subject

LAN009000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics
U.S. Library of Congress Control Number:  2011024057
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