Table of Contents

List of Tables
List of Figures
Symbols and Abbreviations

1 Classification of Languages
1.1 Genetic classification
1.2 Typological classification of languages
1.3 Exercises
1.4 Suggested readings

2 Classification of Writing Systems
2.1 Typological classification of writing systems
2.2 Genetic classification of writing systems
2.3 Exercises
2.4 Suggested readings

3 Europe
3.1 Indo-European
3.2 Uralic
3.3 Caucasus area
3.4 Basque
3.5 Sketch of Russian
3.6 Sketch of Finnish
3.7 Exercises
3.8 Suggested readings

4 Asia
4.1 Altaic area
4.2 Paleosiberian area
4.3 Sino-Tibetan
4.4 Hmong-Mien
4.5 Tai-Kadai
4.6 Austroasiatic
4.7 Dravidian
4.8 Burushaski
4.9 Other languages in Asia
4.10 Sketch of Mandarin Chinese
4.11 Sketch of Classical Tibetan
4.12 Exercises
4.13 Suggested readings

5 Africa
5.1 Afro-Asiatic
5.2 Nilo-Saharan
5.3 Niger-Congo
5.4 Khoisan area
5.5 Other languages in Africa
5.6 Sketch of Modern Standard Arabic
5.7 Sketch of Swahili
5.8 Exercises
5.9 Suggested readings

6 Oceania
6.1 Austronesian
6.2 Papuan area
6.3 Australian area
6.4 Sketch of Hawaiian
6.5 Sketch of Dyirbal
6.6 Exercises
6.7 Suggested readings

7 The Americas
North American area
7.1 Eskimo-Aleut
7.2 Na-Dene
7.3 Algic
7.4 Muskogean
7.5 Siouan
7.6 Iroquoian
7.7 Caddoan
7.8 Yuman
7.9 Sahaptian
7.10 Tsimshianic
7.11 Kiowa-Tanoan
7.12 Uto-Aztecan
7.13 Salishan
Mesoamerican area
7.14 Oto-Manguean
7.15 Totonacan
7.16 Mixe-Zoquean
7.17 Mayan
South American area
7.18 Intermediate area
7.19 Western Amazonia
7.20 Northern foothills
7.21 Andes region
7.22 Southern foothills
7.23 South
7.24 Central Amazonia
7.25 Northern Amazonia
7.26 Sketch of Central Alaskan Yupik
7.27 Sketch of Ayacucho Quechua
7.28 Exercises
7.29 Suggested readings

8 Language Birth, Death, and Revitalization
8.1 Mixed languages
8.2 Constructed languages
8.3 Pidgins
8.4 Creoles
8.5 Sign languages
8.6 Language endangerment and renewal
8.7 Sketch of Tok Pisin
8.8 Exercises
8.9 Suggested readings

References
Language Index
Subject Index