Classification of Languages
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Classification of World Languages
Pogarell, Reiner.
Minority Languages in Europe: A
Classified Bibliography. Berlin: Mouton, 1983.
016.4094 P753m (Main Stacks Reference)
- In alphabetical order by author or editor name. Index 1 covers languages, regions, and states,
while index 2 is arranged by keyword.
Katzner, Kenneth.
The Languages of the World. New York: Routledge, 2002.
400 K159l 2002 (Main Reference)
- This single volume includes detailed descriptions of over 200 languages, including written
examples of the language, its history, language family, major characteristics, dialects, and loan
words in English. A large table in the front of the book lists 600 of the world's languages within
their family, subgroup, branch, and sub-branch. Also includes a country-by-country survey of which
languages are spoken in which countries. Language index included.
Comrie, Bernard, ed.
The World's Major Languages. London: Croom Helm, 1987.
400 W893 (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- Overview of fifty major languages and language families, with historical and grammatical
information on each language. This publication was the basis for the more detailed treatments in
the Routledge Language Family Descriptions.
Ruhlen, Merritt.
A Guide to the World's Languages. Stanford: Stanford
University Press, 1987.
401.2 R854g (Main Stacks)
- Vol. 1, Classification, is the only one published to date. It is a detailed study of the
genetic relationships and classification of languages. Incorporates and updates information from
Voegelin. Includes bibliographies and indexes.
Voegelin, Charles Frederick and Voegelin, Florence Marie.
Classification and Index of the World's
Languages. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1977.
401.2 V85c (Main Reference; Oak St. Facility)
- Lists languages by class in alphabetical order (rather than by language or by location). Based
on extensive work in anthropological linguistics. Includes an extensive index of dialects,
languages, and language groups, which refer the user back to the classes.
Dalby, Andrew.
Dictionary of
Languages: The Definitive Reference to More than 400 Languages. New York: Columbia University
Press, 1998.
403 D15d (Main Reference)
Available
online in Credo Reference
- Entries on the major languages and language families of the 20th century, focusing chiefly on
their history, writing systems, and the numbers one to ten. Relatively little information on
phonology, morphology, and syntax. Includes many maps.
Lewis, M. Paul, ed.
Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 16th ed.
Dallas: SIL International, 2009.
403 In2 2009 (Literatures & Languages Reference)
Available online
- Attempts to identify all the languages of the world by locations. Gives various name of the
language, estimated number of speakers, literacy, and availability of Bible translations.
Accompanied by the computer-produced Language Name Index and Language Family Index. The latter list
dialect chains and networks according to mutual intelligibility.
Campbell, George L.
Compendium of the World's Languages. London:
Routledge, 2000.
410.202 C152c2000 (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- Summarizes grammatical structures of about 300 languages and language families, arranged
alphabetically. The articles follow a standard format: introduction (including affiliation,
location, number of speakers, dialects, literature), script, phonology for living languages (given
in IPA notation), morphology and syntax, and an illustrative text.
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Language Atlases & Maps
Breton, Roland J. L.
Atlas of the Languages and
Ethnic Communities of South Asia. New Delhi: Sage Publications, 1997.
Q.306.4460954 B756a (Main Reference; Oak St. Facility)
- Revised English edition of a bilingual atlas focusing on the linguistic panorama of the Indian
subcontinent. Contains 60 maps with commentary.
Atlas
of languages of intercultural communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas. Berlin:
Mouton de Gruyter, 1996.
Q.402.23 At65 (Main Reference; Education Reference)
- This three-volume set includes linguistic maps of the "Pacific Hemisphere," defined as those
areas of the world that are NOT part of the "Atlantic Hemisphere," i.e. Europe, Africa, and the
Middle East up to the Indian subcontinent. One volume contains maps while the other two volumes
contain text related to the maps.
Comrie, Bernard et al., eds.
The
Atlas of Languages: the Origin and Development of Languages Throughout the World. Rev. ed. New
York: Facts on File, 2003.
Q.409 L939a 2003 (Main Reference)
- A richly illustrated resource, which provides an account of the language families of the
different regions of the world. It is divided into nine chapters: 1. Development and Spread of
Languages; 2. Europe and Eurasia; 3. South and Southeast Asia; 4. Africa and the Middle East; 5.
Pacific; 6. Australia; 7. The Americas; 8. Pidgins and Creoles; 9. Writing Systems. Includes
glossary of terms, bibliography, and index.
Wurm, S.A. et al., eds.
Language Atlas of China. Hong Kong: Longman Group, 1988.
F.495.10223 C472:E (Oak St. Facility)
- Scales differ. "Produced by the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences in collaboration with, and assisted by, the Department of Linguistics, the Research
School of Pacific Studies, the Australian National University. Color maps produced in collaboration
with the Australian Academy of the Humanities, and the Australian National University Research
School of Pacific Studies, Dept. of Linguistics." It covers the languages and dialects of China. In
English.
Moseley, Christopher, and Asher, R.E.
Atlas of the World's Languages. 2nd ed. London:
Routledge, 2007.
Q. 409 At652007 (Map & Geography)
1st edition (1994): F. 910.4172 At65 (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- Basic linguistic geography. Includes bibliographical references and index.
MLA's Language Map of US
- Drawing on information from the United States Census 2000 long form, the Modern Language
Association has crafted this important interactive map that allows users to see where the speakers
of thirty-seven languages reside throughout the country. The map allows visitors the option to
toggle certain themes (such as rivers, lakes, and highways) and to look through the numbers of
speakers by zip code, town, city, or county. Visitors can also look at data at the state level, and
they can also print out their own customized maps as well. Users of the site can also generate
interactive maps for two languages in the same state, or compare the concentration of the same
language in two states. If all of this seems a bit overwhelming, visitors can also take an online
tour of the site's features. This site will be of great interest both to linguists and to those
interested in learning about the spatial distribution of the languages spoken across the United
States.--KMG
Labov, William, et al.
Atlas
of North American English: phonetics, phonology, and sound change: a multimedia reference tool.
Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2006.
F.427.97 L114a (Literatures & Languages Reference)
Available online
- An extensive resource of linguistic data across North America, based on telephone surveys
conducted throughout the 1990s. Full-color maps and audio files are included to illustrate
linguistic differences and dialects against population mobility. The print version includes
CD-ROM
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Specific Language Groups & Locations
African Languages
Meier, Wilma., ed.
Bibliography of African Languages. Wiesbaden: Otto
Harrassowitz, 1984.
016.4096 B471 (Africana Reference; Oak St. Facility)
- A comprehensive bibliography of monographs and articles in African language studies. Part 1 is
the Authors List; Part 2 is the Language Index (with listings first in alphabetical, then
chronological order.) Contains list of relevant periodicals. Introduction in English, German,
French, and Russian.
Lamberti, Marcello.
Somali Language and Literature. Hamburg: Buske,1986.
016.4935 L176S (Main Stacks)
- Primarily an author index, with Muslim authors' name variations cross-listed. Includes a
subject index, and a list of relevant periodicals. Foreword by B. W. Andrzejewski chronicles the
rise in scholarly interest in the Somali and other Sam languages.
Downing, Laura J.
A bibliography of East
African languages and linguistics, 1880-1980 (excluding Somali and Swahili): based on the holdings
of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library. Urbana, IL: L. J. Downing, 1989.
016.496 D759B 1989 (Africana Reference; Main Stacks)
- Works published 1880-1980 in English, French, and German. Excludes Somali and Swahili.
Adewole, L. O.
The Yoruba
language: published works and doctoral dissertations 1843-1986. Hamburg: Buske,1987.
016.496333 AD36Y (Main Stacks)
Kastenholz, Raimund.
Mande Languages and Linguistics. Hamburg: Buske,1987.
016.49634 K155M (Main Stacks)
Fivaz, Derek and Scott, Patricia E.
African
languages: a genetic and decimalised classification for bibliographic and general reference.
Boston: G.K. Hall, 1977.
496 F58a (Mod. Lang. & Ling. Ref.)
- Detailed classification of all Sub-Saharan African language families, especially in response to
the needs of libraries.
Greenberg, Joseph H.
The Languages of Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University, 1966.
496 G82s 1966 (Oak St. Facility)
- A complete genetic classification of the languages of Africa.
Malherbe, Michel.
Répertoire simplifié des langues
africaines. Paris: L'Harmattan, 2000.
496.0223 M294r (Main Stacks)
- This source lists African languages by name, country, and linguistic group and is an
indispensable source for the study of African language and literature.
Bendor-Samuel, John and Hartell, Rhonda.
The
Niger-Congo Languages: A Classification and Description of Africa's Largest Language Family.
Lanham: University Press of America, 1989.
- Overview and introduction to the largest language family of Africa. Update to Greenberg for the
languages of the Niger-Kordofanian family.
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American Indian Languages
Mithun, Marianne.
The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1999.
497 M696l (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- The study of Native North American languages has been characterized by a commitment to
documentation. The first section is a general presentation of the nature of the languages, and the
second consists of a catalog of the languages (arranged by language families).
Campbell, Lyle.
American Indian
Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. New York: Oxford University Press,
1997.
PM108 .C36 1997 (Literatures & Languages)
497.012 C153a (Education Reference)
- A general survey of what is known about the history and classification of the Native American
Languages in North, Central, and South America.
Greenberg, Joseph H.
Language in the Americas. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford
University Press, 1987.
P376 .G7 1987 (Literatures & Languages)
- Proposes three major groups of Native American languages: Eskimo-Aleut, Na-Dene, and Amerind
(including six major stocks).
Derbyshire, Desmond C. and Pullam, Geoffrey K., eds.
Handbook of Amazonian Languages. Berlin: Mouton de
Gruyter, 1986-1998.
PM5151 .H36 1986 (Literatures & Languages)
498 H191 (Main Stacks)
- Aims to increase access to descriptive and interpretative material on the grammatical
structures of the languages of Amazonia (much of the northern half of South America). A cumulative
index is in v. 3.
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Semitic Languages
Al-Ani, Salman, Parkinson, Dilworth B.
Arabic Linguistics Bibliography, 1979-1995.
Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Linguistics Club, 1996.
016.4927 AL11a (Main Stacks)
- Author index to materials published on any aspect of Arabic linguistics. Not sorted by
topic.
492 Se523 (Literatures & Languages Reference)
Hetzron, Robert, ed.
The Semitic Languages. London: Routledge, 1998.
- Description of the ancient and modern Semitic languages, with an attempt to make the
presentation uniform for each when practical. Stresses phonology, morphology, and syntax.
Glinert, Lewis.
Modern Hebrew: An Essential Grammar. 3rd ed. New
York: Routledge, 2005.
492.482421 G499m 2005 (Main Reference)
- A grammar intended for students and users of Hebrew of all levels. Contains chapters on
masculine and feminine, singular and plural; agreement; inflections of the verb; the four active
binyanim; binyan PI'EL and HITPA'EL; passive binyanim: NIF'AL, HUF'AL, PU'AL; prepositions and
other prefixes and suffixes; embedded clauses; special root-types; noun types; adjective types;
constructs and possessives; construct nouns - vowel changes; numerals; comparatives; adverbials;
negatives. Includes glossary, Hebrew grammatical terminology, exercises with answer key, vocabulary
for exercises, and index.
Parkinson, Dilworth B.
Using Arabic Synonyms. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University
Press, 2006.
PJ6190 .P37 2006 (Asian)
- This resource is intended as a vocabulary building tool for students of Arabic who already have
a basic competence in the language. Synonyms are organized into groups around an Arabic head word.
Real life examples are provided for each synonym. Includes indexes of English and Arabic
words.
Ryding, Karin, C.
A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard
Arabic. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
492.782421 R978r (Main Stacks)
- This is a comprehensive reference of the grammatical structure of Modern Standard Arabic. It is
intended as a basic handbook for students of Arabic. Important aspects of phonology, morphology and
syntax are addressed. It is divided into 39 chapters. Contains an appendix on how to use an Arabic
dictionary, and a glossary of technical terms. Includes references and index.
Schulz, Eckehard.
A Student Grammar of Modern Standard
Arabic. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
PJ6307 .S385 2004 (Asian)
- This reference is intended for both beginning and more advanced students of Arabic. It contains
sections on sound verbs, derived forms of the verbs, hamzated verbs, doubled verbs, weak verbs,
assimilated verbs, hollow verbs, defective verbs, nouns, syntax, types of sentences, cardinal
numbers, and ordinal numbers. Examples are drawn from real-life contexts such as newspapers,
business communication, literature, and the Internet. Includes a grammatical index in English and
Arabic for easy cross-referencing.
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Southeast Asian Languages
Huffman, Franklin E.
Bibliography
and Index of Mainland Southeast Asian Languages and Linguistics. New Haven: Yale University
Press, 1986.
016.495 H872b (Main Stacks)
- Includes material from previous bibliographies by Shorto, Jacob and Simmonds; also Shafer.
Arranged alphabetically by author and chronologically under each author. Also includes subject and
language indexes, with many allonyms listed for the languages and dialects. Arranges the languages
into five sections:
- Austroasiatic -- Aslian, Bahnaric, Katuic, Khasi, Khmer, Khmuic, Monic, Munda, Palaungic,
Pearic, Nicobarese, and Viet-Mùòng.
- Tibeto-Burman -- Baric, Bodic, Burmic, and Karenic.
- Tai-Kadai -- Tai, Kadai, and Kam-Sui
- Miao-Yao -- Miao and Yao.
- Mainland Austronesian -- Chamic.
Steever, Sanford B., ed.
The Dravidian Languages. London: Routledge, 1998.
494 D797 (Literatures & Languages Reference; Main Stacks)
- Descriptions of twelve of the better known individual Dravidian languages as well as historical
and comparative information.
Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju.
The Dravidian Languages. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University
Press, 2003.
494.8K897d (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- This book provides an analysis of the phonological and grammatical structure of the Dravidian
languages. The main focus is on historical and comparative aspects of these languages. It is
divided into eleven chapters. Includes a list of abbreviations, bibliography, index of
reconstructions with glosses, and general index.
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Indo-European Languages
Extra, Guus and Durk Gorter, eds.
The
Other Languages of Europe: Demographic, Sociolinguistic and Educational Perspectives. Clevedon,
UK: Multilingual Matters, 2001.
408.693094 Ot3 (Main Reference)
- This work takes a look at the community languages in Europe, outside of the national languages
of the European Union member states. The languages considered in this volume include, but are not
limited to, Basque in Spain and France, Frisian in the Netherlands, Romani, and languages of Turkey
and Morocco.
Price, Glanville, Ed.
Encyclopedia of the Languages of Europe.
Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, Ltd., 1998.
409.4 En19 (Main Reference; Main Stacks)
- Encyclopedic listing of articles on the languages of Europe (as defined by the editor).
Articles are signed by contributors. Includes linguistic maps, phonetic transcriptions, alphabets
of some languages and bibliographical references.
Giacalone Ramat, Anna and Ramat, Paolo, eds.
The Indo-European Languages. London: Routledge, 1998.
410 L647i (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- Description of the Indo-European language families, including Tocharian and the Anatolian
languages. Phonology, morphology, and syntax are treated in each chapter.
Stevenson, Victor.
The World of Words: An
Illustrate History of Western Languages. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2000.
410 W8912 2000 (Main Stacks)
- Traces the history and development of more than 40 different Indo-European languages, divided
into their language families. Maps, charts and illustrations are found throughout the book, as well
as a small glossary, bibliography for further reading, and a subject index.
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Celtic Languages
Ball, Martin with Fife, James, eds.
The Celtic Languages. London: Routledge, 1993.
491.6 C3323 (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- Chapters on sociolinguistic aspects as well as grammar (phonology, morphology and syntax) of
the Celtic languages.
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Germanic Languages
König, Ekkehard, and Auwera, Johan van der, eds.
The Germanic Languages. London, New York: Routledge, 1994.
430 G3177 (Literatures & Languages Reference)
- Description of the older forms of the Germanic languages as well as the modern languages.
Separate chapters on Yiddish, Afrikaans, and Frisian.
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Kashmiri Languages
016.491499 K849k (Main Stacks; Oak St. Facility)
Koul, Omkar N.
Kashmiri Language,
Linguistics and Culture: An Annotated Bibliography. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian
languages, 2000.
- This book "provides annotated bibliographical references of the available source materials in
different areas of Kashmiri language, linguistics, culture and literature."
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Romance Languages
Bal, Willy et al., eds.
Bibliographie Sélective de
Linguistique Française et Romane. 2nd ed. Louvain-la-Neuve: Duculot, 1997.
016.41 B471 1997 (Main Stacks Reference)
- Part 1.1 Languages of the World -- Problems of classification
- Part 1.2 Indo-European Languages and Linguistics
- Part 1.3 Latin
- Part 2 Romance Languages
Còveri, Lorenzo, ed.
Catalogo dell'editoria linguistica
italiana. Roma: Bulzoni, 1981.
016.41 So13c (Oak St. Facility)
- Part 1: subject index
- Part 2: author index
- Includes directory of publishers' addresses.
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Slavic Languages
Comrie, Bernard, and Corbett, Grenville G., eds.
The Slavonic Languages. London: Routledge, 1993.
491.8 SL1633 (Literatures & Languages Reference; Slavic Reference)
- Description of the Slavic languages, including minority languages and Church Slavonic. Divided
into South Slavic, West Slavic, and East Slavic. Each chapter treats phonology, morphology, syntax,
lexis, and dialects.
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