LINGUIST List 17.331

Tue Jan 31 2006

Books: Language Description, Mbay: Keegan

Editor for this issue: Megan Zdrojkowski <meganlinguistlist.org>

Directory         1.    Ulrich Lueders, A Reference Grammar of Mbay: Keegan
Message 1: A Reference Grammar of Mbay: Keegan
Date: 25-Jan-2006
From: Ulrich Lueders <lincom.europat-online.de>
Subject: A Reference Grammar of Mbay: Keegan


Title: A Reference Grammar of Mbay Series Title: LINCOM Studies in African Linguistics 14 Published: 2006 Publisher: Lincom GmbH
                http://www.lincom.at

Author: John M Keegan Paperback: ISBN: 3895861731 Pages: 240 Price: Europe EURO 74
Paperback: ISBN: 3895861731 Pages: 240 Price: U.S. $ 97.68
Paperback: ISBN: 3895861731 Pages: 249 Price: U.K. £ 51.04
Abstract:

A Reference Grammar of Mbay provides a solid introduction to the grammar ofMbay, a Central-Sudanic language of the Sara family described in aDictionary of Mbay by the same author. It is based on extensive fieldresearch among the Mbay in Chad during the period data for the dictionarywas collected. The grammar is divided into eight sections.

The first five describe the phonology and morphology. First, segmentalphonology is described, and a thorough explanation and justification of thewriting system is provided, followed by a description of tone and vowellength. The second section treats morpheme structure, with emphasis on thecanonical and harmonic constraints which limit the shape of Mbay morphemes.The inflectional paradigms are described in the third section, and this isfollowed in the fourth by an explanation of the phonological changeassociated with inflection, with emphasis on a description of the differenttypes of tonal change. Section five treats the limited word formationprocesses found in the language.

Section six through eight treat Mbay syntax. Section six describes thestructure and uses of the different categories and subcategories, andincludes descriptions of alienable/inalienable nouns, verb aspect, serialverbs, adjectival uses of verbs and nouns, and the various uses ofideophones, specifiers and compleentizers.

Section seven deals with word order, describing sentence order as well asthe structure of the noun, verb and prepositional phrase. Included in thissection are a number of special structures and expressions. In general, thedescription contained in these sections attempts to be broad in scope, andincludes explanations of how to express common concepts (e.g. existence,impersonal expression, comparison, superlative, etx.) as well asinteresting aspects of Mbay syntax which transcend individual categories(eg. the notion of 'standing/sitting/lying').

Section eight deals with the rules governing the mandatory subject andobject reference affices. The grammatical descriptions are accompanied byabundant examples, and in many cases word for word translation are given inaddition to a more conventional translation.

Linguistic Field(s): Language Description
Subject Language(s): Mbay (myb)
Written In: English (eng )

See this book announcement on our website: http://linguistlist.org/get-book.html?BookID=18028


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