Re: tonal languages?

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 22:32:52 -0500 Isidora Zamora <isidora@...>
wrote.
>I would be interested in hearing a short review from you (if you would be
>so kind) of _Language Universals And Linguistic Typology_ to find out
>whether this, too, needs to go in my to-buy list.
What you really need to know: It's by Comrie. Thus, it rocks.

http://www.amazon.com/o/tg/detail/-/0226114333

It's much the same as _Describing Morphosyntax_, really. A compendium of the
things that languages can and cannot do (or more properly |do| and |do not|
do), with copious examples from various appropriate languages.

It goes into a wider array of phenomena than Payne's work, including the
famous hierarchy of colour terms, among other memorable moments.

There's a really interesting bit about the necessary and sufficient
conditions for subjecthood, comparing English and Russian IIRC, as well as a
few other langs.

Please excuse my naively-worded review on that Amazon page, btw. I've
learned more about linguistics and the proper use of terminology since
writing it, and really should update it one day. If you're feeling
charitable, you could vote for it anyway. Not that moving from 35974th to
35973rd would make much difference, but it's an ego boost, eh?

Actually, while we're discussing my Amazon presence, if anyone wants to
review my wishlist, and recommend any language/linguistics books to be added
or removed from it, you can reach it from the above page, after a couple of
obvious clicks.




Paul
... oh, and if you're feeling particularly generous ...