Intended for a general audience, this book offers a simplified introduction to the Chinese language and its linguistic features. It aims to make the complexities of Chinese linguistics accessible, providing readers with a foundational understanding of the language's social and cultural context. The text serves as a valuable resource for those interested in exploring the intricacies of Chinese language in a straightforward manner.
Focusing on the intricacies of Chinese language, the author challenges the misconception that it lacks words in favor of characters. By analyzing Chinese word formation, he reveals how this understanding contributes to broader theories of word universals in natural language. The book delves into the relationship between words and their components, providing insights into their evolution and proposing models for the mental storage and processing of Chinese words in speech.
TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks, as well as studies that provide new insights by approaching language from an interdisciplinary perspective. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing. To discuss your book idea or submit a proposal, please contact Birgit Sievert.