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Description:
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South Asia is a rich and fascinating linguistic area, its many hundreds of
languages from four major language families representing the distinctions
of caste, class, profession, religion, and region. This comprehensive new
volume presents an overview of the language situation in this vast
subcontinent in a linguistic, historical and sociolinguistic context. An
invaluable resource, it comprises authoritative contributions from leading
international scholars within the fields of South Asian language and
linguistics, historical linguistics, cultural studies and area studies.
Topics covered include the ongoing linguistic processes, controversies, and
implications of language modernization; the functions of South Asian
languages within the legal system, media, cinema, and religion; language
conflicts and politics, and Sanskrit and its long traditions of study and
teaching. Language in South Asia is an accessible interdisciplinary book
for students and scholars in sociolinguistics, multilingualism, language
planning and South Asian studies.
*Includes authoritative contributions from international scholars within
the field of South Asian language and linguistics;
*Presents an overview of the language situation in South Asia in a
linguistic, historical and sociolinguistic context;
*Includes end of chapter review questions to allow the reader to monitor
their understanding of the material.
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