Linguistic Typology - Paperback / softback

There are generally estimated to be between 4,000 and 6,000 languages in the world. This number alone gives an idea of the immense diversity of languages: at the same time, there also has to be an underlying unity to human languages. Linguistic Typologyis the study of the structural similarities between languages, regardless of their history, to establish a classification of languages. It provides an accessible overview of the most prominent areas of study and research in language typology, illustrated with many examples taken from a wide range of languages. Jae Jong Song offers an explanation for the different ways in which languages behave, and considers why languages are the way they are.