The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages

by Roger D. Woodard (Editor)

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages is the first comprehensive reference work treating all of the languages of antiquity. Clear and systematic in its approach, the Encyclopedia combines full linguistic coverage of all the well documented ancient languages, representing numerous language families from around the globe. Each chapter of the work focuses on an individual language or, in some instances, a set of closely related varieties of a language. Providing a full descriptive presentation, each of these chapters examines the writing system(s), phonology, morphology, syntax and lexicon of that language, and places the language within its proper linguistic and historical context. The Encyclopedia brings together an international array of scholars, each a leading specialist in ancient language study. While designed primarily for linguistic professionals and students, this work will prove invaluable to all whose studies take them into the realm of ancient language.

Genres: Language, Linguistics, Nonfiction, History

1180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2004

About the author

Roger Dillard Woodard was born in 1951. He received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds the Andrew V. V. Raymond Chair of Classics at the University at Buffalo (SUNY), having formerly served on the faculties of Swarthmore College, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Southern California.

(Source: Penguin Classics)

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book years ago at the library, and put it on my wishlist. Some wishes do come true!
Woodard's insightful overview of ancient languages covers the greats as well as the little-knowns. There is a vast wealth of detailed information for the amateur linguist (such as myself), but perhaps for a specialist the information presented for each individual language will be already familiar.
One disappointment, that is not the author's fault, is the paucity of information that exists for some languages.
This is my most treasured book - it ought to be, because it is also the most expensive!

[ཟླ་བ ཏ་མང · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the right book