Sinitic Grammar: Synchronic and Diachronic Perspective

Abstract

This is an anthology on topics in the grammar of Chinese (Sinitic) languages. Its aim is to meld historical and typological approaches in the examination of grammatical phenomena in order to show the extent to which both earlier stages of Chinese, as well as the modern dialects, differ from standard Mandarin. With this purpose in mind, each author has provided important background information on the Chinese language, dialect, or historical period under investigation. The introduction provides an up-to-date description of Sinitic languages in terms of history and geography, placing the goals of the volume into perspective. A dialect map of China and a summary of each chapter is also provided.