LINGUIST List 12.2328

Thu Sep 20 2001

Books: Australian Language

Editor for this issue: Naomi Ogasawara <naomilinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. LINCOM.EUROPA, Australian Lang: Dialect & Social Groupings in Northeast Arnheim Land

Dialect and Social Groupings in Northeast Arnheim Land
BERNHARD SCHEBECK

The Yolngu tribes have a distinctive system of social organisation,
which is mirrored by their languages. Each clan (mala) has its own
dialect (matha), with the matha being grouped into eight
closely-related languages. Within each language, there are two groups
of dialects, one associated with the Dhuwa moiety and the other with
the Yirritja moiety; there are systematic relationships between the
two sets of dialects (in terms of the length of words, etc.). Over
thirty three years ago, Bernhard Schebeck made the first definitive
study of the Yolngu peoples and their languages, here published for
the first time. It has provided the foundation for all later studies
of the Yolngu clans, their languages and their social system. There
are profiles of the phonological and morphological character of the
languages, with discussion of borrowings, and of the recently evolved
'contact language', which has significant simplifications from
traditional speech. Schebeck deals in some detail with earlier
classifications, by Warner and Berndt. He also provides an analysis of
many types of names, including clan names, dialect names, war names
and ceremonial names. The author has added a preface and notes,
updating the discussions.

Ed. by RMW Dixon, Research Centre for Linguistic Typology, La Trobe University.

3 89586 409 9. 
LINCOM Studies in Australian Languages 07. 
120pp. USD 48 / EUR 40.40 / � 25. 


LINCOM electronic n.e.w.s.l.e.t.t.e.r. :New books in August / September 2001.
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LINCOM EUROPA, Freibadstr. 3, D-81543 Muenchen, Germany; 
FAX +49 89 62269404; 
http://www.lincom-europa.com
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