Böcker i Cambridge Library Collection - Linguistics-serien

Hermann Osthoff (1847-1909) and Karl Brugmann (1849-1919) were prominent members of the Neogrammarian school of linguistics. This six-volume work, published between 1878 and 1910, develops the theory that European languages, together with certain languages of central and southern Asia, have a common origin in a prehistoric Indo-European language.

This monumental work by the German linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835), published posthumously in 1836-9, analyses the classical literary language of Java. Volume 1 includes Humboldt's 1836 essay on language and a preface by his brother Alexander, and discusses Sanskrit and Buddhist influences on Javan language and society.

The distinguished German philologist Hermann Hirt (1865-1936) wrote this seven-volume grammar soon after the discovery of Tocharian and the decipherment of Hittite. Volume 1 (1927) introduces the Indo-European language family, considers etymology and semantic shift, and provides a detailed analysis of the Indo-European consonant system.

The eight volumes of the Grammatici Latini, edited by Heinrich Keil (1822-1894) and published by Teubner between 1855 and 1880, are an outstanding monument of nineteenth-century German philology. The final volume contains the Anecdota Helvetica, a collection of writings on Latin grammar from the library of the Benedictine abbey at Einsiedeln in Switzerland.

Published in 1887 with the aim of promoting interest in the Cornish language, this was the first resource to provide Cornish translations for English words and phrases. Compiled by Frederick W. P. Jago (1817-92), it also contains literal translations of biblical texts, such as Genesis and the Ten Commandments.

Resulting from the great explorer Henri Coudreau's travels in French Guyana during the 1880s, this first of two volumes is an informative survey of the region, enlivened by personal experience and opinion. It provided the French government with an up to date account of the state of the colony.

The eight volumes of the Grammatici Latini, edited by Heinrich Keil (1822-1894) and published by Teubner between 1855 and 1880, are an outstanding monument of nineteenth-century German philology. The fifth volume contains works by Cledonius, Phocas and Eutychus and Macrobius among others.

Edited by eminent anthropologist Franz Boas (1858-1942), this pioneering work was originally published in two volumes between 1911 and 1922. Volume 2 contains descriptive studies of the Takelma, Coos, Siuslaw and Chukchi languages. Overall, the project ranks as a landmark in entrenching scientific principles for modern ethnographic study.

In 1873 Basil Hall Chamberlain (1850-1935) arrived in Japan, where he taught English. A brilliant linguist, he quickly learned Japanese, and in 1886 he became professor of Japanese and philology at the Imperial University, Tokyo. This 1888 book gives both theoretical and practical instruction for the learner.

A Slovenian citizen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Franz Miklosich (1813-91) extended the comparative method of analysis across the whole Slavonic language family. This four-volume comparative grammar of the Slavonic languages (1852-74) ranks among his most influential works. Volume 1 is reissued here in the 1879 second edition.

A Slovenian citizen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Franz Miklosich (1813-91) extended the comparative method of linguistic analysis across the whole Slavonic language family. This etymological dictionary of the Slavonic languages was published in 1886, encompassing Old Slavonic as well as modern forms.

The philologist and orientalist Archibald Henry Sayce (1845-1933) had studied Middle Eastern languages and scripts since adolescence. This 1875 teaching grammar/reader, aimed at helping students to grasp Assyrian cuneiform, includes a full syllabary as well as texts, transliterations and translations.

The philologist Archibald Henry Sayce (1845-1933) had studied Middle Eastern languages and scripts since adolescence. In this 1872 grammar, using transliteration rather than cuneiform, Sayce first considers the place of Assyrian in the Semitic language family and its development over time, then presents its phonology, morphology, syntax and prosody.

August Schleicher (1821-68) paved the way for modern historical linguistics with his 'family tree' model of language relationships and his early reconstruction of Proto-Indo-European. This abridged English translation of the third edition of Schleicher's 1861-2 Compendium appeared in 1874-7, and focuses on Indo-European and the classical languages.

August Schleicher (1821-68) paved the way for modern historical linguistics with his 'family tree' model of language relationships and his early reconstruction of Proto-Indo-European. This abridged English translation of the third edition of Schleicher's 1861-2 Compendium appeared in 1874-7, and focuses on Indo-European and the classical languages.

The eight volumes of the Grammatici Latini, edited by Heinrich Keil (1822-1894) and published by Teubner between 1855 and 1880, are an outstanding monument of nineteenth-century German philology. The first volume contains the work of Charisius and Diomedes.

Henry Sweet's work on the sounds of English was first published in 1874, and in this revised version in 1888. Originally intended as a monograph on two sounds only, it ended up as a much broader book, including an investigation of dialects and medieval and modern English sounds.

The work of Henry Sweet (1845-1912), the renowned philologist and phonetician, revolutionised the study of linguistics in Britain and Europe. This two-volume work, published 1892-8, was the first scientific grammar of English. Volume 1 contains the first study of English phonology alongside accidence and the history of English.

Together with companion lectures (also reissued), this popular textbook won Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) a reputation as one of the foremost grammarians of his time. Unlike many comparable works, it assumes no knowledge of Latin, championing usage above all other linguistic standards. This second edition first appeared in 1769.

The polymath Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) delivered this lecture series in 1762, arguing that the purpose of rhetoric is moral formation. First published in 1777, and reissued here in its 1781 printing, the work draws on the theory of psychological associationism as developed by John Locke and David Hartley.

The Bohemian scholar Joseph Dobrowsky (1753-1829) first published this work in 1792. Reissued here is the revised and expanded edition of 1818, outlining the development of the Czech language and listing the most important Bohemian theological and literary writings from the sixth to the sixteenth century.

Henry Sweet (1845-1912) was a philologist whose work was regarded as seminal. His textbooks on Old English remain standard works. The present work, first published in 1877, inspired European interest in phonetic studies. Sweet presents a general theory of phonetics, illustrated by examples of transcription from various languages.

Johan Ludwig Krapf (1810-81), a German-born missionary in Africa, is considered the father of Swahili studies in Europe. He created the first Swahili dictionary, which was published posthumously in 1882. This important lexicon also contains notes on Swahili culture and customs, together with an introduction to Swahili grammar.

Heymann Steinthal (1823-99) was a German philologist and university professor who insisted that the development of linguistics could be properly understood only when viewed within a general cultural and philosophical framework. This 1863 work explores Greek and Roman philology and philosophy and their relationship to logic.

The twentieth-century revival of interest in the Cornish language sprang from the efforts of activists like Henry Jenner (1848-1934), who published this Handbook in 1904, while employed at the British Museum. The book introduces the history of Cornish, its grammar, and topics including literature, names, dates and swearing.