New book: Uralic linguistics

[LINCOM EUROPA]

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Contact-induced Perspectives in Uralic Languages

AGO K\NNAP, University of Tartu

The author of the book would make an attempt to outline a few features
of a recent significant paradigm change in the Uralic (Finno-Ugric and
Samoyed) linguistics. The main factor of linguistic processes is
supposed to be language contacts, not so much a spontaneous change of
languages, although the latter should also be borne in mind. The concept
of linguistic affinity has also been subjected to criticism. The common
features of Uralic languages developed thanks to various contacts among
different languages whereby a language of the lingua franca type could
operate as an intermediary.
Thus any Uralic language could always differ from other languages of
this group, partly retaining its origin from source language(s), unknown
us to date. Later on it could also, additionally, become more similar to
other Uralic languages thanks to language contacts or, on the other
hand, it could become more different as a result of contacts with others
than Uralic languages. The role of a language prestige in the process of
language changes through history is being emphasized at present.
The similarities between Finnic-Lapp and Samoyed languages have earlier
been regarded as a result of a better survival of the Proto-Uralic
heritage at the extreme peripheries of the expansive zone of occurance
of Uralic languages. But the Finnic-Lapp--Samoyed similarities may
hypothetically be regarded as ontime areal-typological (contact)
similarities. Northern Indo-European languages - Germanic, Baltic and
Slavic - are supposed to have developed so that the speakers of Uralic
language form learned to speak that of the Indo-European.

Ago K|nnap is Professor of Uralic Languages of the University of Tartu.

ISBN 3 89586 964 3.
LINCOM Studies in Asian Linguistics 39.
Ca. 120pp. Ca. EUR 35 / DM 68 / USD 35 / # 24.


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