Product Description

This translation of the German edition first published in 1970, introduces the standard text on the comparative-historical method to an English-speaking audience. After surveying the general principles of diachronic-comparative linguistics, the book uses these principles to analyze the phonological and morphological structure of the Indo-European language group. Each section of the book has a detailed bibliography, so readers can progress from the general overview to a more in-depth examination of particular topics.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #899405 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 392 pages

Review
`draws confidently on data from all of the Indo-European branches.' Sino-Platonic Papers No.107, Sept. 2000.

`... this work is now so much more widely accessible ... it will truly be a fitting memorial to Oswald Szemerenyi' J. H. W. Penney, Kratylos Edition 44 1999

`Szemerenyi's standard introduction to the comparative philology of Indo-European has thankfully been made available in English. Beautifully set out, it represents the thoroughly revised and (especially in respect of bibliography) enlarged edition of 1990. ... a masterpiece of clarity and conciseness.' J. C. Wright, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

About the Author
Oswald J. L. Szemerenyi is at University of Freiberg.

Customer Reviews

Dated and suffers in comparison with other current handbooks
As a Classics major hoping to do postgraduate study in comparative Indo-European linguistics, I was in need of a basic introduction to the field, and this work of Szemerenyi seemed useful. However, INTRODUCTION TO INDO-EUROPEAN LINGUISTICS (a 1990 translation from the German by the author himself) was something of a disappointment.

The datedness of the theory in the book heavily reduces its usefulness. While some recent work has been taken into account--it explains, for example, that the Praenestine brooch is a forgery--Szemerenyi was the last holdout against laryngeal theory, perhaps the most useful breakthrough in PIE phonology of the 20th century. He does explain the theory (or a strawman), but calls it highly incredulous and doesn't use laryngeals in reconstructions of vocabulary. Therefore, the view of the proto-language's phonology in this book follows the beliefs of over 50 years ago, and will not match anything in the other contemporary handbooks. While it is important to understand the various views that have been held over the last two hundred years, one feels cheated if one has placed a great deal of trust in, for example, the existence of two schwas when the laryngeal theory removes the need for such sounds.

The book's saving grace is that it does have a copious biography, which makes it somewhat useful. However, other current handbooks usually have the same amount of useful references. If you are interested in comparative Indo-European linguistics, I would recommend any other handbook published in the last 15 years. Lehmann's THEORETICAL BASES OF INDO-EUROPEAN LINGUISTICS is, in my opinion, the best and most friendly for people entirely new to the field.

Outdated, but good bibliography
I'm currently a linguistics PhD student. The professor of my Indo-European class, when explaining that there is really no good text in English for the current state of thinking on Indo-European phonology and morphology, told us that this book is outdated (the views in the book are those held in the 1950s) but that the book can serve as a good bibliography because the author provides thorough catalogs of work done in different areas. I bought this book a few months ago in expectation of taking my class and wanted to give others this background to help in their decision of whether to buy the book.

An excellent standard textbook
This is one of the most valuable, excellent standard textbook for the Indo-European or historical-coparative linguistics. The book gives thorough and detailed analysis on the phonology, morphonology and morphology. Each section has copious evidence, reference, notes and comments with the exact page indications. Total 352 pages besides more than xxxii pages of preface and abbreviations, etc., including the index of Special Topics in the end of the book. Highly recommendable for those who are interested in the Indo-European linguistics. If the paperback edition is available, the price could be less expensive.