The Languages of the Soviet Union (Cambridge Language Surveys) by Bernard Comrie (4-Jun-1981) Paperback

Cambridge Language Surveys

by Bernard Comrie

A general account of the languages of the Soviet Union, one of the most diverse multinational and multilingual states in the world as well as one of the most important. There are some 130 languages spoken in the USSR, belonging to five main families and ranging from Russian, which is the first language of about 130,000,000 people, to Aluet, spoken only by 96 (in the 1970 census). Dr Comrie has two general aims. First, he presents the most important structural features of these languages, their genetic relationships and classification and their distinctive typological features. Secondly, he examines the social and political background to the use of functioning of the various languages in a multilingual state. The volume will be of importance and interest to linguists and to those with a broader professional interest in the Soviet Union.

Genres: Linguistics

Paperback

First published June 4, 1981

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overview of the minority languages of the Soviet sphere beyond the expected Russian, Ukranian, Belarusian, et al. Fairly good in its scope but in many places lacking in depth. Any book of this nature should be as detailed as possible because few books with this focus are going to be published: a book like this should provide the scholar with most everything he needs on a specific language except for what would only be located in a volume dedicated to that specific language. This book didn't really do that: some of the languages covered are in detail, but nowadays, in many cases Wikipedia offers just as much data in its entries for these same languages. Part of that is a change in the times and what the Internet now provides, but still: this could have been more detailed.