The Papuan Languages of New Guinea by William A Foley Jr

The Papuan Languages of New Guinea by William A Foley Jr

This introduction to the descriptive and historical linguistics of the Papuan languages of New Guinea provide an accessible account of one of the richest and most diverse linguistic situations in the world. The Papuan languages number over 700 (or 20 per cent of the world's total) in more than sixty language families. Less than a quarter of the individual languages have yet been adequately documented, and in this sense William Foley's book might be considered premature. However, in the search for language universals and generalisations in linguistic typology, it would be foolhardy to neglect the information that is available. In this respect alone, the present volume, systematically organised on mainly typology principles, is particularly timely and useful. In addition, the processes of linguistic diffusion are present in New Guinea to an extent probably paralleled elsewhere on the globe. The Papuan Languages of New Guinea will be of interest not only to general and comparative linguists and to typologists, but also to sociolinguists and anthropologists for the information it provides on the social dynamics of language content.

Michael Foley, Professor of International Politics, University of Aberystwyth

Michael Foley teaches at the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. He was Head of Department from 2008 to 2013. He has published widely, including an acclaimed study of the US Senate and an extensive examination of the cultural influence of Newtonian mechanics upon
American politics. He has developed a wide portfolio of interests that include the British politics, leadership studies, constitutional development, foreign policy, international relations, the devices of populism and the role of ideas in political engagement. Work in the latter category resulted
in the publication of American Credo: The Place of Ideas in US Politics (Oxford University Press 2007). He is also conducting research into (i) the dynamics of contemporary populism; (ii) the role of new media technologies as a medium of political activity; and (iii) the issue of prime ministerial
power in the UK system. He is currently joint editor of International Relations.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780521286213
ISBN 10	0521286212
Title	The Papuan Languages of New Guinea
Author	William A Foley Jr
Series	Cambridge Language Surveys
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	1986-11-20
Number of pages	320
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.