In this scholarly volume, each of the living Slavonic languages are analysed and described in depth, together with the two extinct languages - Old Church Slavonic and Polabian. In addition, the various alphabets of the Slavonic languages - particularly Roman, Cyrillic and Glagolitic - are discussed, and the relationships of the Slavonic languages to other Indo-European languages and to one another, are explored. The last chapter provides an account of those Slavonic languages in exile, for example, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Czech and Slovak in the USA.
Each language-chapter is written by an expert in the field, in a format designed for comparative study. Information on each language includes: an introductory description of social context and development (where appropriate); a discussion of phonology; a detailed presentation of synchronic morphology, noting major historical developments; comprehensive treatment of syntactic properties; a discussion of vocabulary; an outline of main dialects; and an extensive bibliography, listing English and other sources.

About the Author

Bernard Comrie is Director at the Department of Linguistics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and also Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Greville G. Corbett is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at the University of Surrey.

Reviews

'Each chapter has been written by an acknowledged specialist in the particular language. The chapters are highly structured, with each author providing detailed information on the same important topics ... The happy result is that we end up with 18 books in one volume ... Not only does this book provide an up-to-date survey of current knowledge for Slavists the volume is also a source of reference for all others with an interest in the Slavonic family.' - Language International

'Well made, very legible, and weighty both in grammes and erudition, this addition to the Routledge Reference series on language families will be welcomed by specialists in Slavonic studies ... a thoroughly modern conspectus of a vast and demanding discipline ... This impressive, useful work deserves a home in all reference libraries.' - Reference Reviews

'This is a comprehensive and much needed reference book on Slavonic Languages. The comprehensiveness of the undertaking is unquestionable.' - International Review of Applied Linguistics

'The present volume is certainly comprehensive. The editors are to be congratulated on these innovative features. This book is clearly an outstanding achievement: it will quickly become a standard work, which will not be superseded for a very long time to come.' - J.A. Dunn, University of Glasgow

Book Information
ISBN 9780415280785
Author Professor Greville Corbett
Format Paperback
Page Count 1096
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 1160g