LINGUIST List 17.1855

Thu Jun 22 2006

Books: Historical Ling/Syntax: Davis

Editor for this issue: Maria Moreno-Rollins <marialinguistlist.org>

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Directory         1.    Philipp Waelle, Comparative Syntax of Old English and Old Icelandic: Davis

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Message 1: Comparative Syntax of Old English and Old Icelandic: Davis
Date: 21-Jun-2006
From: Philipp Waelle <p.waellepeterlang.com>
Subject: Comparative Syntax of Old English and Old Icelandic: Davis


Title: Comparative Syntax of Old English and Old Icelandic Subtitle: Linguistic, Literary and Historical Implications Series Title: Studies in Historical Linguistics. Vol. 1 Published: 2006 Publisher: Peter Lang AG
                http://www.peterlang.com

Book URL: http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?vLang=E&vID=10270

Author: Graeme Davis, Northumbria University Paperback: ISBN: 3039102702 Pages: 190 Price: U.K. £ 25.50
Paperback: ISBN: 3039102702 Pages: 190 Price: U.S. $ 43.95
Paperback: ISBN: 3039102702 Pages: 190 Price: Europe EURO 36.40 Comment: for Germany and Austria EURO 38.90 (incl. VAT)
Abstract:

Study of the syntax of Old English and Old Icelandic has for long beendominated by the impressions of early philologists. Their assertions thatthese languages were "free" in their word-order were for many yearsunchallenged. Only within the last two decades has it been demonstratedthat the word-order of each shows regular patterns which approach thestatus of rules, and which may be precisely described.

This book takes the subject one step further by offering a comparison ofthe syntax of Old English and Old Icelandic, the two best-preserved OldGermanic languages. Overwhelmingly, the two languages show the sameword-order patterns - as do the other Old Germanic languages, at least asfar as can be determined from the fragments which have survived. It haslong been recognised that Old English and Old Icelandic have a highproportion of common lexis and very similar morphology, yet the conventionhas been to emphasise the differences between the two as representativesrespectively of the West and North sub-families of Germanic.

The argument of this book is that the similar word-order of the two shouldinstead lead us to stress the similarities between the two languages. OldEnglish and Old Icelandic were sufficiently close to be mutuallycomprehensible. This thesis receives copious support from historical andliterary texts. Our understanding of the Old Germanic world should bemodified by the concept of a common "Northern Speech" which provided acommon Germanic ethnic identity and a platform for the free flow ofcultural ideas.

Contents:

- Old English, Anglo-Saxon- Old Icelandic, Old Norse- Old High German, Gothic, Norn- Syntax, word-order, Germanic philology, comparative philology.

The Author:Graeme Davis is Principal Lecturer in English Language at NorthumbriaUniversity, UK. Following a PhD in Anglo-Saxon Philology from theUniversity of St Andrews, UK, he has worked in the field of early mediaevalGermanic syntax, developing tools for describing and comparing word-orderpatterns.

Linguistic Field(s): Historical Linguistics                             Syntax
Subject Language(s): Gothic (got)                             Old English (ang)                             Old High German (goh)                             Old Norse (non)
Written In: English (eng )

See this book announcement on our website: http://linguistlist.org/get-book.html?BookID=19975

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