In Amazonian Quichua Language and Life: Introduction to Grammar, Ecology, and Discourse from Pastaza and Upper Napo, Janis B. Nuckolls and Tod D. Swanson discuss two varieties of Quichua, an indigenous Ecuadorian language. Drawing on their linguistic and anthropological knowledge, extensive fieldwork, and personal relationships with generations of speakers from Pastaza and Napo communities, the authors open a door into worlds of intimate meaning that knowledge of Quichua makes accessible. Nuckolls and Swanson link grammatical lessons with examples of naturally occurring discourse, traditional narratives, conversations, songs, and personal experiences to teach readers about the languages' structures and discourse patterns and speakers' sensory depictions, ecological aesthetics, and emotional perspectives.

About the Author

Janis Nuckolls is professor of anthropological linguistics at Brigham Young University

Tod Swanson is associate professor in the faculty of religious studies at Arizona State University.

Reviews

"Strongly rooted in day-to-day Quichua cultural experiences, this innovative and highly practical course book provides many insights into the language spoken in the upper Amazon in Ecuador. In its organization it strikes the right balance between grammatical overviews and cultural practices. It's your best entry into Quichua language-culture and a book that makes you want to learn even more."

-- Pieter Muysken, Radboud University

"This text represents a major accomplishment and considerably expands the available scholarship on not just one, but two varieties of Amazonian Quichua. This book is quite clearly the result of careful scholarship and long-term research with speakers of Amazonian Quichua. Writing with sensitivity to the rich linguistic and cultural practices of their interlocutors, the authors open a path for students to enter the relational world of Amazonian Quichua. Not just a linguistic textbook, the authors also contextualize the linguistic practices within the vibrant, and at times unfamiliar, social environment of speakers of Amazonian Quichua. This book will be useful for introductory and advanced language courses, as well as for independent scholars."

-- Georgia Ennis, Penn State University



Book Information
ISBN 9781793616210
Author Janis B. Nuckolls
Format Paperback
Page Count 278
Imprint Lexington Books
Publisher Lexington Books
Weight(grams) 395g
Dimensions(mm) 227mm * 152mm * 16mm