Book
German: a linguistic introduction
Cambridge University Press
2009
DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511626821
Abstract
Standard German is spoken by approximately 95 million people worldwide. This book provides an introduction to the linguistic structure of standard German that is rich in descriptive detail and grounded in modern linguistic theory. It describes the main linguistic features: the sounds, structure and formation of words, structure of sentences, and meaning of words and sentences. It surveys the history of the language, the major dialects, German in Austria and Switzerland, as well as sociolinguistic issues such as style, language and gender, youth language, and English influence on German. Prior knowledge of German is not required, as glosses and translations of the German examples are provided. Each chapter includes exercises designed to give the reader practical experience in analyzing the language. It is an essential learning tool for undergraduate and graduate students in German and linguistics.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- German: a linguistic introduction
- Creators
- Sarah M B Fagan - University of Iowa, Linguistics
- Resource Type
- Book
- Table of contents
- 2.2.4.3.2 The imperative -- 2.2.4.4 Non-finite verb forms -- 2.3 Derivation -- 2.3.1 Prefixation -- 2.3.1.1 Nominal and adjectival prefixation -- 2.3.1.2 Verbal prefixation -- 2.3.2 Suffixation -- 2.3.2.1 Nominal and adjectival suffixation -- 2.3.2.2 Verbal suffixation -- 2.3.3 Circumfixation -- 2.3.4 Conversion -- 2.3.5 Implicit derivation -- 2.4 Compounding -- 2.4.1 Nominal compounds -- 2.4.2 Adjectival compounds -- 2.4.3 Other compounds -- 2.5 Reductions -- 2.5.1 A typology of reduction types -- 2.5.2 Reductions in word formation -- 2.5.3 Other reduction types and related word-formation processes -- Exercises -- Notes -- 3 Syntax -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Noun phrases -- 3.2.1 NP structure -- 3.2.2 Case -- 3.2.2.1 Nominative -- 3.2.2.2 Accusative -- 3.2.2.3 Dative -- 3.2.2.4 Genitive -- 3.3 Prepositional phrases -- 3.4 Adjective phrases -- 3.5 Adverb phrases -- 3.6 Verb phrases -- 3.7 Sentential phrases -- 3.7.1 Sentences -- 3.7.1.1 IP and CP -- 3.7.1.2 Movement rules -- 3.7.2 The topological model -- 3.7.3 Word order constraints and freedom -- 3.7.4 Distribution of pronominal elements -- Exercises -- Notes -- 4 Semantics -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Lexical semantics -- 4.2.1 Synonymy -- 4.2.2 Antonymy -- 4.2.3 Hyponymy -- 4.2.4 Meronymy -- 4.3 Tense and aspect -- 4.3.1 The present tense -- 4.3.2 The past and the present perfect -- 4.3.3 The future tenses -- 4.3.4 The past perfect -- 4.3.5 Progressive meaning -- 4.4 Modality and evidentiality -- 4.4.1 Epistemic modality -- 4.4.2 Root modality -- 4.4.3 Evidentiality -- 4.5 Thematic roles -- 4.6 Voice -- 4.6.1 The passive -- 4.6.2 The middle -- Exercises -- Notes -- 5 History of the language -- 5.1 The prehistoric period -- 5.1.1 Proto-Indo-European -- 5.1.2 Germanic -- 5.1.2.1 Introduction -- 5.1.2.2 Phonology -- 5.1.2.3 Morphology and syntax -- 5.2 Old High German -- 5.2.1 Introduction; 5.2.2 Phonology -- 5.2.3 Morphology and syntax -- 5.3 Middle High German -- 5.3.1 Introduction -- 5.3.2 Phonology -- 5.3.3 Morphology and syntax -- 5.4 Early New High German -- 5.4.1 Introduction -- 5.4.2 Phonology -- 5.4.3 Morphology and syntax -- 5.5 New High German -- Exercises -- Notes -- 6 Regional variation -- 6.1 The standard-colloquial-dialect continuum -- 6.2 Variation in the colloquial -- 6.2.1 Variation in pronunciation -- 6.2.2 Variation in grammar -- 6.2.3 Variation in vocabulary -- 6.3 German in Switzerland -- 6.3.1 Diglossia -- 6.3.2 Swiss Standard German -- 6.3.2.1 Pronunciation -- 6.3.2.2 Orthography -- 6.3.2.3 Morphology -- 6.3.2.4 Vocabulary -- 6.4 German in Austria -- 6.4.1 Overview -- 6.4.2 Austrian Standard German -- 6.4.2.1 Pronunciation -- 6.4.2.2 Grammar -- 6.4.2.3 Vocabulary -- 6.5 German in the East and West -- 6.6 The German dialects -- 6.6.1 Introduction -- 6.6.2 Upper German dialects -- 6.6.3 Central German dialects -- 6.6.4 Low German dialects -- Exercises -- Notes -- 7 Sociolinguistic issues -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Style -- 7.2.1 Introduction -- 7.2.2 Stylistic variation -- 7.2.2.1 Pronunciation -- 7.2.2.2 Vocabulary -- 7.2.2.3 Grammar -- 7.3 Address -- 7.3.1 A brief history -- 7.3.2 The address system -- 7.4 Language and gender -- 7.4.1 Equal treatment -- 7.4.2 Achieving linguistic equality -- 7.4.2.1 Splitting -- 7.4.2.2 Abbreviations -- 7.4.2.3 Alternative forms -- 7.4.3 Legal language -- 7.4.4 The print media -- 7.5 Jugendsprache -- 7.5.1 Speakers and usage -- 7.5.2 Linguistic features -- 7.5.2.1 Lexical features -- 7.5.2.2 Sentence-level and discourse features -- 7.6 The German of foreign workers -- 7.6.1 Speakers -- 7.6.2 Linguistic features -- 7.7 Language contact -- 7.7.1 A brief history -- 7.7.2 Recent English influence -- Exercises -- Notes -- Glossary -- References -- Index; Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Figures -- Tables -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1 German: speakers and geography -- 2 Objectives -- 3 Organization -- Notes -- 1 Phonetics and phonology -- 1.1 Phonetics of German -- 1.1.1 Introduction -- 1.1.2 The vowel sounds of German -- 1.1.3 The consonant sounds of German -- 1.2 Phonology of German -- 1.2.1 Introduction -- 1.2.2 The vowel phonemes of German -- 1.2.3 The consonant phonemes of German -- 1.2.4 Phonological rules -- 1.2.4.1 Vowel Shortening -- 1.2.4.2 Voicing Assimilation -- 1.2.4.3 Fortition -- 1.2.4.4 Aspiration -- 1.2.4.5 Fricative Devoicing -- 1.2.4.6 Velar Fricative Assimilation -- 1.2.4.7 Velar Spirantization -- 1.2.4.8 Glottal Stop Insertion -- 1.2.4.9 Schwa Deletion -- 1.2.4.10 r-Vocalization -- 1.2.4.11 Nasal Assimilation -- 1.2.5 Phonotactic constraints -- 1.2.5.1 Syllable structure -- 1.2.5.2 Onsets -- 1.2.5.3 Codas -- 1.2.6 Stress -- 1.2.6.1 Word stress -- 1.2.6.1.1 Simplex words -- 1.2.6.1.2 Complex words -- 1.2.6.1.3 Compound words -- 1.2.6.2 Sentence stress -- 1.2.7 Intonation -- Exercises -- Notes -- 2 Morphology -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Inflection -- 2.2.1 The inflection of nouns -- 2.2.1.1 Gender -- 2.2.1.2 Number -- 2.2.1.3 Case -- 2.2.2 The inflection of determiners and pronouns -- 2.2.2.1 Determiners -- 2.2.2.1.1 Definite articles -- 2.2.2.1.2 Demonstratives -- 2.2.2.1.3 Indefinite articles -- 2.2.2.1.4 Possessives -- 2.2.2.2 Pronouns -- 2.2.2.2.1 Personal pronouns -- 2.2.2.2.2 Relative pronouns -- 2.2.2.2.3 Pronominal use of determiners -- 2.2.3 The inflection of adjectives -- 2.2.3.1 Degree forms -- 2.2.3.2 Prenominal inflection -- 2.2.4 The inflection of verbs -- 2.2.4.1 Person and number -- 2.2.4.2 Tense -- 2.2.4.2.1 The present tense -- 2.2.4.2.2 The past tense -- 2.2.4.3 Mood -- 2.2.4.3.1 The subjunctive
- DOI
- 10.1017/CBO9780511626821
- ISBN
- 0521852854; 9780521852852; 9780521618038; 0521618037; 0511626827; 9780511626821
- eISBN
- 9780511626821; 0511626827; 9780511539244; 051153924X; 0511738927; 9780511738920; 9781107196070; 1107196078
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press; Cambridge, UK; New York
- Number of pages
- xiv, 317 pages
- Language
- English; German
- Date published
- 2009
- Academic Unit
- Linguistics; German
- Record Identifier
- 9983903698502771
Metrics
373 Record Views