Central Eurasian Language Grammars project - Revision history

Firespeaker: /* Coverage of Topics */

2012-04-10T23:39:46Z

Coverage of Topics

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	* An account of interesting productive or semi-productive phonological processes (like vowel harmony, consonant assimilation, etc.). Subsumed under one section with above. ('''2-4 pages''')		* An account of interesting productive or semi-productive phonological processes (like vowel harmony, consonant assimilation, etc.). Subsumed under one section with above. ('''2-4 pages''')
	* A nearly complete survey of the language's morphology, including reference to morpho-phonology and semantics of morphology covered (e.g. the general uses of each case morpheme, tense/mood/aspect/voice of each tense morpheme, etc). These should be covered more from a holistic semantic (top-down) view than from a morpheme-by-morpheme view (bottom-up) (e.g., individual uses of a single morpheme shouldn't be listed, but rather a given use should be included where appropriate). I think. This includes negatives ('''7-12 pages''')		* A nearly complete survey of the language's morphology, including reference to morpho-phonology and semantics of morphology covered (e.g. the general uses of each case morpheme, tense/mood/aspect/voice of each tense morpheme, etc). These should be covered more from a holistic semantic (top-down) view than from a morpheme-by-morpheme view (bottom-up) (e.g., individual uses of a single morpheme shouldn't be listed, but rather a given use should be included where appropriate). I think. This includes negatives ('''7-12 pages''')
	* Accounts of syntactic topics of interest and relevance to Central Asia, such as quotatives, relative clauses, questions, classifiers, subjunctives(?), etc. A list of specifically desired topics in this and the previous category will be specified by the editors. ('''3-5 pages''')		* Accounts of syntactic topics of interest and relevance to Central Asia, such as quotatives, relative clauses (and all other multi-clause constructions, though this might be best in the verb morphology section), questions, classifiers, subjunctives(?), etc. A list of specifically desired topics in this and the previous category will be specified by the editors. ('''3-5 pages''')
	* A concise list of common and relevant vocabulary, grouped by topic (?); e.g., agricultural terms, body parts, nature-related vocabulary, etc. ('''1 page''')		* A concise list of common and relevant vocabulary, grouped by topic (?); e.g., agricultural terms, body parts, nature-related vocabulary, ideophones etc. ('''1 page''')
	* A top-100-words-by-frequency list (or more than 100?). JNW has software that can be used to generate this sort of thing (and has lists for Uzbek, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz).		** A top-100-words-by-frequency list (or more than 100?). JNW has software that can be used to generate this sort of thing (and has lists for Uzbek, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz).
	* Fully glossed and translated examples of the language in use. At least one text in the following categories: prose text in a modern literary variety, transcription of spontaneous spoken language (preferably conversation/dialogue), and one oral or textual example of verse. ('''9-18 pages''' @ ~3 pages each)		* Fully glossed and translated examples of the language in use. At least one text in the following categories: prose text in a modern literary variety, transcription of spontaneous spoken language (preferably conversation/dialogue), and one oral or textual example of verse. ('''9-18 pages''' @ ~3 pages each)
	* A bibliography of ''reliable'' sources on the language (dictionaries, academic articles, and grammars). ('''½-1 page''')		* A bibliography of ''reliable'' sources on the language (dictionaries, academic articles, and grammars). ('''½-1 page''')

Firespeaker at 04:24, 12 February 2012

2012-02-12T04:24:26Z

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 An ulterior purpose of this volume will be to offer a good reference to people attempting to learn the languages.
 == Coverage of Topics ==
@@ Line 38: / Line 30: @@
 * etc.
-== Languages proposed ==
+== The first volume ==
 === Justification ===

Firespeaker: /* Coverage of Topics */

2012-02-12T04:22:55Z

Coverage of Topics

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:22, 12 February 2012
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	In all, each language's grammar should be no shorter than '''25 pages''' and no longer than '''40 pages'''. Given the language coverage, this should result in a volume of approximately '''300-600 pages'''		In all, each language's grammar should be no shorter than '''25 pages''' and no longer than '''40 pages'''. Given the language coverage, this should result in a volume of approximately '''300-600 pages'''

			We'd also like to have a disc and/or website that supplements the material in the book with:
			* audio samples of the examples of language use
			* morphological transducers of the languages
			* interactive versions of maps
			* etc.

	== Languages proposed ==		== Languages proposed ==

Firespeaker at 04:14, 12 February 2012

2012-02-12T04:14:56Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:14, 12 February 2012
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			<accesscontrol>CELGcontributors</accesscontrol>
	This page is here for presenting the current state of the '''Central Eurasian Language Grammars project''' to contributors. Members of the editorial committee should see [[Central Eurasian Language Grammars project/organising]].		This page is here for presenting the current state of the '''Central Eurasian Language Grammars project''' to contributors. Members of the editorial committee should see [[Central Eurasian Language Grammars project/organising]].

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	An ulterior purpose of this volume will be to offer a good reference to people attempting to learn the languages.		An ulterior purpose of this volume will be to offer a good reference to people attempting to learn the languages.

	== ~~The plan~~ ==		== Ideas for a title ==
	We are currently planning a series of volumes, organised by language size and area. The first volume will be on the "[[Medium density languages\|medium-density]] non-peripheral languages" of Central Asia. Later volumes will be on low-density, critical, and extinct / historical languages, potentially for various regions of Central Eurasia.

			* (JNW) "The core/key languages of Central Asia" ("A reference for the desk or the field")
			* (CIB) "The core (? or other word?) languages of Central Asia" (delete parenthetical subtitle "A reference for the desk or the field")
			* (NDK) "The major languages of Central Asia" -- unless we run the risk of sounding too much like that Comrie book...
			* (JNW) "The languages of the largest Central Asian states" ... Hm, that's not quite right.
			* (JNW) "The largest languages of Central Asia" (and then the next volume can be "The next largest languages of Central Asia" :-P ... )

			== Coverage of Topics ==
			Following is a basic list of topics which should be covered by the grammar of each language:
			* An introduction, placing the language socio-politically and historically. ('''½-1 page''')
			* An overview of socio-linguistic issues such as dialectal distribution, koineisation, bilingualism (and diglossia), language shift, etc. ('''½-1 page''')
			* A reasonably complete account of the phonemic inventory, allophones, etc. ('''2 pages''')
			* An account of interesting productive or semi-productive phonological processes (like vowel harmony, consonant assimilation, etc.). Subsumed under one section with above. ('''2-4 pages''')
			* A nearly complete survey of the language's morphology, including reference to morpho-phonology and semantics of morphology covered (e.g. the general uses of each case morpheme, tense/mood/aspect/voice of each tense morpheme, etc). These should be covered more from a holistic semantic (top-down) view than from a morpheme-by-morpheme view (bottom-up) (e.g., individual uses of a single morpheme shouldn't be listed, but rather a given use should be included where appropriate). I think. This includes negatives ('''7-12 pages''')
			* Accounts of syntactic topics of interest and relevance to Central Asia, such as quotatives, relative clauses, questions, classifiers, subjunctives(?), etc. A list of specifically desired topics in this and the previous category will be specified by the editors. ('''3-5 pages''')
			* A concise list of common and relevant vocabulary, grouped by topic (?); e.g., agricultural terms, body parts, nature-related vocabulary, etc. ('''1 page''')
			* A top-100-words-by-frequency list (or more than 100?). JNW has software that can be used to generate this sort of thing (and has lists for Uzbek, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz).
			* Fully glossed and translated examples of the language in use. At least one text in the following categories: prose text in a modern literary variety, transcription of spontaneous spoken language (preferably conversation/dialogue), and one oral or textual example of verse. ('''9-18 pages''' @ ~3 pages each)
			* A bibliography of ''reliable'' sources on the language (dictionaries, academic articles, and grammars). ('''½-1 page''')

			In all, each language's grammar should be no shorter than '''25 pages''' and no longer than '''40 pages'''. Given the language coverage, this should result in a volume of approximately '''300-600 pages'''

	== ~~The first volume~~ ==		== Languages proposed ==

	The ~~first volume is on~~ the ~~core~~ languages ~~of Central Asia—that~~ is, ~~languages with~~ at least ~~one~~ million speakers ~~that are not located on~~ the ~~edges~~ of Central Asia.		=== Justification ===
			The justification for including the languages proposed here is that they're all large ([[Medium density languages\|medium density]]—in this case, they all have at least ½ million speakers, but no more than 25 million), and they're all in the heart of Central Asia / non-peripheral (e.g., not Tatar or Sakha or Ossetian or any Uralic languages).

	=== ~~Languages Included~~ ===		=== The languages by geography ===
			This volume covers the large "non-intrusive" languages of the core of Central Asia. Languages in ''italics'' will probably not be included (as semi-peripheral), but may be worth considering.
			* Afghanistan ('''Pashto''', '''Dari''', '''Afghan Uzbek''', '''Balochi''')
			* Turkmenistan ('''Turkmen''', ('''Balochi'''))
			* Uzbekistan ('''Uzbek''', ''Qaraqalpaq'')
			* Kazakhstan ('''Kazakh''')
			* Kyrgyzstan ('''Kyrgyz''')
			* Tajikistan ('''Tajik''')
			* Tibet ('''Amdo''', '''Central Tibetan''', ''Khams'')
			* Eastern Turkistan ('''Uyghur''')
			* Mongolia ('''Khalkha''')

			=== The languages, by family ===

	=== Turkic ===		==== Turkic ====
	{{Infobox CEL Contribution		{{Infobox CEL Contribution
	\|Language=Tashkent Uzbek		\|Language=Tashkent Uzbek
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	}}		}}

	=== Mongolic ===		==== Mongolic ====
	{{Infobox CEL Contribution		{{Infobox CEL Contribution
	\|Language=Khalkha		\|Language=Khalkha
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	}}		}}

	=== Tibeto-Burman ===		==== Tibeto-Burman ====
	{{Infobox CEL Contribution		{{Infobox CEL Contribution
	\|Language=Central Tibetan		\|Language=Central Tibetan
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	}}		}}

	=== IE ===		==== IE ====
	{{Infobox CEL Contribution		{{Infobox CEL Contribution
	\|Language=Pashto		\|Language=Pashto

Firespeaker: /* The purpose */

2012-02-12T04:07:58Z

The purpose

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:07, 12 February 2012
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	== The purpose ==		== The purpose ==
	~~This project's mission is probably something like this:~~		Linguists working with particular theories or typological questions often seek basic facts about some aspect of the grammar of many languages. However, most linguists have little access to information which they might find useful about Central Eurasian languages. Existing grammars, at best, are designed as quick references for reading knowledge for people (philologists, mostly) who may already know a not-distantly-related language. At worst, existing grammars make [lousy] paperweights.
	~~<blockquote>~~
	~~In light~~ of the ~~stark lack~~ of ~~serious materials of use to linguists on~~ many languages ~~of Central Eurasia~~, ~~this project aims~~ to ~~'''clearly''' present '''data''', '''generalisations''', and '''open questions'''~~ about ~~languages which have some [significant] connection to the [various]~~ Central Eurasian ~~Sprachbund[s throughout history]~~, ~~which linguists may find useful~~ as ~~a source~~ for ~~typological and theoretical work~~, ~~or as~~ a ~~starting place for deeper research on any of these languages~~.
	~~</blockquote>~~

	~~And, er, copy-edited so it's legible (thanks Tristan):~~		This collection will attempt to provide grammatical sketches of the core languages of modern Central Asia. Its coverage of linguistic topics will not be complete, but it will focus on the most basic and essential elements of the grammar of each language, which are poorly covered elsewhere anyway. These grammars will be written by Linguists who have good knowledge of the language they're describing, and preferably coauthored by a native speaker "informant". One result of this is that outstanding issues in the grammar will be pointed out—that is, topics needing further analysis or which do not lend themselves nicely to analysis within present theoretical models. This furthers the usefulness of the grammars to other linguists, both by being honest about places where our understandings fall short, and by providing research ideas for other linguists.
	~~<blockquote>~~
	~~we don't think there's enough serious materials for linguists~~ to ~~use when working with central eurasian~~ languages~~, so we started this project~~. ~~We aim to produce materials which clearly present data~~, ~~generalisations~~, ~~and remaining/unsolved questions about languages that~~ are ~~connected to the various historical central eurasian sparchbunds~~. ~~We hope linguists~~ will ~~find~~ the ~~materials useful for typological~~ and theoretical ~~work~~, ~~or as a starting place~~ for ~~deeper research on any of these languages~~.
	~~</blockquote>~~

			An ulterior purpose of this volume will be to offer a good reference to people attempting to learn the languages.

	== The plan ==		== The plan ==

Firespeaker at 04:04, 12 February 2012

2012-02-12T04:04:25Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:04, 12 February 2012
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	~~#REDIRECT~~ [[Central Eurasian Language Grammars project/organising]]		This page is here for presenting the current state of the '''Central Eurasian Language Grammars project''' to contributors. Members of the editorial committee should see [[Central Eurasian Language Grammars project/organising]].

			== The purpose ==
			This project's mission is probably something like this:
			<blockquote>
			In light of the stark lack of serious materials of use to linguists on many languages of Central Eurasia, this project aims to '''clearly''' present '''data''', '''generalisations''', and '''open questions''' about languages which have some [significant] connection to the [various] Central Eurasian Sprachbund[s throughout history], which linguists may find useful as a source for typological and theoretical work, or as a starting place for deeper research on any of these languages.
			</blockquote>

			And, er, copy-edited so it's legible (thanks Tristan):
			<blockquote>
			we don't think there's enough serious materials for linguists to use when working with central eurasian languages, so we started this project. We aim to produce materials which clearly present data, generalisations, and remaining/unsolved questions about languages that are connected to the various historical central eurasian sparchbunds. We hope linguists will find the materials useful for typological and theoretical work, or as a starting place for deeper research on any of these languages.
			</blockquote>


			== The plan ==
			We are currently planning a series of volumes, organised by language size and area. The first volume will be on the "[[Medium density languages\|medium-density]] non-peripheral languages" of Central Asia. Later volumes will be on low-density, critical, and extinct / historical languages, potentially for various regions of Central Eurasia.




			== The first volume ==

			The first volume is on the core languages of Central Asia—that is, languages with at least one million speakers that are not located on the edges of Central Asia.

			=== Languages Included ===


			=== Turkic ===
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Tashkent Uzbek
			\|Speakers=23.5M
			\|Contributor=??
			\|Informant=Umida Khikmatullaeva
			\|Status=partlydecided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Kazakh
			\|Speakers=12M
			\|Contributor=Jonathan?
			\|Informant=???
			\|Status=partlydecided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Uyghur
			\|Speakers=10M
			\|Contributor=Niko
			\|Informant=???
			\|Status=decided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Turkmen
			\|Speakers=9M
			\|Contributor=Elliott Hoey
			\|Informant=???
			\|Status=decided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Kyrgyz
			\|Speakers=3.5M
			\|Contributor=Jonathan
			\|Informant=Tolgonay
			\|Status=decided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Uzbeki
			\|AlternateNames=Afghan Uzbek
			\|Speakers=1,451,980
			\|Invite=???
			\|Status=undecided
			}}

			=== Mongolic ===
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Khalkha
			\|Speakers=2.6M
			\|Contributor=Andrew
			\|Informant=???
			\|Status=decided
			}}

			=== Tibeto-Burman ===
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Central Tibetan
			\|Speakers=3-6 million speakers
			\|Invite=???
			\|Status=undecided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Amdo Tibetan
			\|Speakers=800'000
			\|Invite=???
			\|Status=undecided
			}}

			=== IE ===
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Pashto
			\|Speakers=~26M
			\|Invite=???
			\|Status=undecided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Balochi
			\|Speakers=8M
			\|Invite=???
			\|Status=undecided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Dari
			\|Speakers=7.6M
			\|Invite=???
			\|Status=undecided
			}}
			{{Infobox CEL Contribution
			\|Language=Tajik
			\|Speakers=4.5M
			\|Invite=???
			\|Status=undecided
			}}

Firespeaker: moved Central Eurasian Language Grammars project to Central Eurasian Language Grammars project/organising

2012-02-12T03:50:52Z

moved Central Eurasian Language Grammars project to Central Eurasian Language Grammars project/organising

New page

#REDIRECT [[Central Eurasian Language Grammars project/organising]]