Book notice: Language in South Asia

[Harold Schiffman]

Language in South Asia
 2008, Cambridge University Press
                http://us.cambridge.org

Book URL: http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521786539

Editor: Braj B. Kachru
Editor: Yamuna Kachru
Editor: S. N. Sridhar

Abstract:

South Asia is a rich and fascinating linguistic area, its many hundreds of
languages from four major language families representing the distinctions
of caste, class, profession, religion, and region. This comprehensive new
volume presents an overview of the language situation in this vast
subcontinent in a linguistic, historical and sociolinguistic context. An
invaluable resource, it comprises authoritative contributions from leading
international scholars within the fields of South Asian language and
linguistics, historical linguistics, cultural studies and area studies.
Topics covered include the ongoing linguistic processes, controversies, and
implications of language modernization; the functions of South Asian
languages within the legal system, media, cinema, and religion; language
conflicts and politics, and Sanskrit and its long traditions of study and
teaching. Language in South Asia is an accessible interdisciplinary book
for students and scholars in sociolinguistics, multilingualism, language
planning and South Asian studies.

*Includes authoritative contributions from international scholars within
the field of South Asian language and linguistics;
*Presents an overview of the language situation in South Asia in a
linguistic, historical and sociolinguistic context;
*Includes end of chapter review questions to allow the reader to monitor
their understanding of the material.

Introduction: Languages, contexts and constructs, Braj B. Kachru;

Part I. Language History, Families and Typology:
1. Language in historical context, Ronald E. Asher;
2. Typological characteristics of South Asian languages, Karumuri V. Subbarao;

Part II. Languages and their Functions:
3. Hindi, Urdu, Hindustani, Yamuna Kachru;
4. Persian in South Asia, S. A. H. Abidi and Ravinder Gargesh;
5. Major regional languages, Tej K. Bhatia;
6. Minority languages and their status, Rakesh M. Bhatt and Ahmar Mahboob;
7. Tribal languages, Anvita Abbi;

Part III. Sanskrit and Traditions of Language Study:
8. Sanskrit in the South Asian sociolinguistics, Madhav Deshpande;
9. Traditions of language study, Ashok Aklujkar;

Part IV. Multilingualism, Contact and Convergence:
10. Contexts of multilingualism, E. Annamalai;
11. Language contact and convergence, S.N. Sridhar;
12. Pidgins, creoles and bazaar Hindi, Ian Smith;

Part V. Orality, Literacy, and Writing Systems:
13. Orality and literacy, Rama Kant Agnihotri;
14. Writing systems, Peter Daniels;

Part VI. Language, State and Education:
15. Language politics and conflicts, Robert L. King;

Part VII. Language Standardization and Modernization:
16. Language modernization, S. N. Sridhar;

Part VIII. Language and Discourse:
17. Language in social and ethnic interaction, Yamuna Kachru;
18. Language and the legal system, Vijay Bhatia and Rajesh Sharma;
19. Language in media and advertising, Tej K. Bhatia and Robert Baumgardner;
20. Language in cinema, Wimal Dissanayake;
21. Language of religion, Rajeshwari Pandharipande;

Part IX. Language and Identity:
22. Language and gender, Tamara Valentine;
23. Dalit literature, language, and identity, Eleanor Zelliot;
24. Language and youth culture, Rukmini Bhaya Nair;

Part X. Languages in Diaspora:
25. Languages in diaspora, Rajend Meshtrie;
26. South Asian diaspora in Europe and the US, Kamal K. Sridhar.

http://linguistlist.org/issues/19/19-1568.html

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