Introducing language typology / Edith A. Moravcsik, Professor Emerita of Linguistics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Machine generated contents note: 1. What is language typology?; 2. The worlds of words: lexical typology; 3. Assembling words: syntactic typology; 4. Dissembling words: morphological typology; 5. The sounds of languages: phonological typology; 6. Language in flux: typologies of language change; 7. Explaining crosslinguistic preferences.

"Language typology identifies similarities and differences between languages of the world. This textbook provides an introduction to the subject which assumes minimal prior knowledge of linguistics. It offers the broadest coverage of any introductory book, with sections on historical change, language acquisition and language processing. Students will become familiar with the subject by working through numerous examples of cross-linguistic generalizations and diversity in syntax, morphology and phonology as well as vocabulary, writing systems and signed languages. Chapter previews and summaries, key words, a glossary and copious literature references help the reader understand and internalize what they have read, while activities at the end of each chapter reinforce key points"-- Provided by publisher.