Re: more book advice

Paul Bennett wrote:
>
> On 4 Jun 00, at 21:17, Robert Hailman wrote:
>
> > Paul Bennett wrote:
> > >
> > > On 2 Jun 00, at 18:16, Danny Wier wrote:
> > >
> > > > There is one book that's the virtual bible for general linguistics I and
> > > > other recommend above all else: _The World's Major Languages_, ed. Bernard
> > > > Comrie.  The Big Green Book I call it.
> > >
> > > Would that be a complete unabridged collocation of Comries "The Major
> > > Languages of ..." books?
> > >
> >
> > I don't know, I only have it out from the library, for my conlang Ajuk,
> > which is also a school project. It's about 1000 pages, chock full of
> > linguistic goodness.
>
> In that case, it ain't what I hoped it might be.  ISTR each individual
> volume of "The Major ..." has maybe 5 or 600 pages (or thereabouts) and
> there are quite a few volumes.
>
> (at least that's my shaky memory of 'em, it's been a few years)
It's still a good book, though. While it doesn't spend too long on each
language, it gives enough detail to give you a basic knowledge of the
history of the language, and the basics of it's grammar and such. I
suppose you'd then go to the series for the invididual regions for more
detail, if you could afford all the books.

--
Robert