Synopses & Reviews
This book provides an accessible introduction to the structure, history and sociolinguistics of Russian. It particularly emphasizes the special linguistic features of Russian which are not shared with English and other non-Slavic languages. For intermediate/advanced students of Russian, the volume helps to reinforce their understanding of how Russian word formation and syntax functions. Students and scholars of linguistics will find it a useful starting point for comparative work involving the structure of Russian and the Slavic languages, or issues such as standardization, multilingualism, and the fate of former colonial languages.
Review
"Russian: A Linguistic Introduction will definately become a standard reference book in the field and a welcome addition to graduate curricula in training teachers of Russian." Slavic Review
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 363-371) and index.
Synopsis
'ok provides an accessible introduction to the structure, history and sociolinguistics of Russian.'
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Russian language in the world ; Russia ; Russian ; Russian within linguistics ; Readership ; Structure and aims -- History of the language: Historical background ; Linguistic features ; Development of the standard language ; Writing (graphics) -- Phonology: The 'phoneme' and related terminology ; Description ; The phonology of Modern Russia ; Graphics -- Morphology: Introduction ; The morphology of modern Russia -- Syntax: Introduction, basic concepts and approaches ; Nominal phrases ; The simple sentence ; The complex sentence ; Reported/indirect speech -- Word-formation and lexicology: Introduction ; Sources of words and methods of word-formation ; Morphophonology in word-formation ; Affixes ; Lexicology (and phraseology) -- Dialects: Introduction ; Historical orientation ; Linguistic features -- Sociolinguistics: Introduction ; Historical perspectives on standard versus non-standard usage ; Variation ; Contact/interference ; Pragmatics.