Morphology and Syntax: Tools for Analyzing the World's Languages

by John Albert Bickford

In this expansion of work by John Daly, Larry Lyman, and Mary Rhodes, Albert Bickford shares his enthusiasm for languages and linguistics with the reader by presenting a practical guide for acquiring skills necessary to analyze the morphology and syntax of languages around the world. Written in an informal, personal style, this is a practical book for teacher and student alike, a rich storehouse of references and helps in addition to the theoretical content drawn broadly from work within generative grammar. Most chapters begin with a statement of goals and a list of prerequisites for understanding the information contained in them. Examples and explanatory diagrams are distributed liberally throughout the text. The review of key terms, questions for analysis, and sample descriptions which appear at the end of most chapters help the student to apply the theoretical material. References for further reading are provided for those wishing to study further. Dr. Bickford works in Tucson, Arizona, as a linguistic consultant with the SIL International, teaching and advising language workers who are investigating the languages of Mexico. Most summers he teaches the course from which this book developed at SIL at University of North Dakota, and directs the University s graduate program in linguistics. References
Index

Genres: Linguistics

412 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Nicholas Meriwether · Rating 4 out of 5]

So you have been tasked with writing a book about morphology and syntax for introductory linguistics. How do you keep rather dry topics like this engaging? Bickford succeeds on two levels: 1) He writes in very readable English. He will even give the reader pep talks to encourage them about encountering this new, technical vocabulary. He also succeeds by making humorous example sentences. 2) In addition to pulling from research from the world's languages, Bickford also self-consciously made example sentences about artichokes; his examples included complaints about the rampant artichoke references! In my field of Biblical Studies, I have definitely found morphology and syntax to be some of the more central, useful, and understandable parts of linguistics. This book is still dry at times (perhaps unavoidably given the subject matter, and the need to actually prove grammatical points through various languages), but it intentionally makes an effort to help the reader understand.

[Micah Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and engaging. Could use a glossary and more concise reproduction of information, maybe in page or two long charts at the end of chapters.

[WH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albert Bickford has an uncanny ability to explain complex ideas in a simple, clear, and logical manner.