As the title indicates, this unique resource is a manual on comparative linguistics, with the examples taken exclusively from Semitic languages. It is an innovative volume that recalls the earlier tradition of textbooks of comparative philology, which, however, exclusively treated Indo-European languages. It is suited for students with at least a year of a Semitic language.
By far the largest component of the book are the nine wordlists that provide the data to be manipulated by the student. Says reviewer Peter Daniels, the wordlists “constitute a unique resource for all of comparative linguistics—a considerable quantity of uniform data from a host of related languages. They would be useful for any class in comparative linguistics, not just for those interested specifically in Semitic.”
Scattered throughout the text are 25 exercises based on the wordlists that provide a good introduction to the methods of comparativists. Also included are paradigms of the phonological systems of ten Semitic languages as well as Coptic and a form of Berber. A bibliography that guides the student into further reading in Semitic linguistics completes the volume.
Table of Contents:
List of Tables
List of Exercises
Shukran
To the Reader
Part 1: Basics of Descriptive Linguisitics
What’s in a Name?
Phonology
Phonetics
Phonemics
Morphophonemics
Transcription
Morphology and Syntax
Morphemes
Words
Word Making
Phrases
Clauses
Hierarchy
Part 2: A General Introduction to the Semitic Language Family
What Is a Semitic Language?
Internal Relationships
External Relationships
Part 3: An Outline of Comparative Linguistics
Sources and Their Use
Assumptions and Techniques of Diachronic Linguistics
The Linguistic List
Cognacy and Regularity
Skewing
Part 4: Lexicostatistics: Some Alternatives
Appendix: The Swadesh 200-Word Basic Vocabulary List
Part 5: Linguistic Reconstruction: Comparative and Internal
Comparative Reconstruction: Phonology
Comparative Reconstruction: Lexicon
Comparative Reconstruction: Semantics
Internal Reconstruction
Comparative/Internal Reconstruction
Part 6: Various Less-Common Techniques
Loan Analysis
Geographic Analysis
Cultural Reconstruction
Part 7: Onward and Beyond
Semitic and Afroasiatic
Evading the Triconsonantal Root
Ebla and What Next?
Conclusion
Paradigms A: Phonology
Proto-Semitic
Old Babylonian
Syriac
Urmi
Ugaritic
Hebrew
Classical Arabic
Egyptian Arabic
Ge’ez
Tigre
Jibbali
Paradigms B: Morphology: Nouns and Pronouns
Old Babylonian
Syriac
Urmi
Ugaritic
Hebrew
Classical Arabic
Egyptian Arabic
Ge’ez
Tigre
Jibbali
Coptic
Ghadamsi
Paradigms C: Morphology: Verbs
Old Babylonian
Syriac
Urmi
Ugaritic
Hebrew
Classical Arabic
Egyptian Arabic
Ge’ez
Tigre
Jibbali
Coptic
Ghadamsi
Bibliography
General Semitic and Afroasiatic
Akkadian
Arabic
Aramaic
Canaanite
Ethiopic
Modern South Arabian
Old South Arabian
Writing
Wordlist A: Cognates and Skewed Reflexes
Wordlist B: Pair-Referenced Lexicostatistics and Subgrouping
Wordlist C: Norm-Referenced and Pair-Referenced Lexicostatistics
Wordlist D: Diglossia and Language Contact
Wordlist E: Isoglosses
Wordlist F: Berber and Semitic
Wordlist G: Proto-Semitic A
Wordlist H: Proto-Semitic B
Wordlist I: Proto-Semitic C
Appendix: Classical Semitic Scripts, by Peter T. Daniels
A Bit of History
Abjads
Hebrew
Syriac
Arabic
Maltese
Ethiopic
Akkadian
Index 1: Languages of Glosses
Index 2: Glosses
