scholarly journals Singh, Rajendra (1995) : Linguistic Theory, Language Contact, and Modern Hindustani: The Three Sides of a Linguistic Story, New York, Peter Lang, 130 p.

1998 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 325
Author(s):  
Tariq Rahman
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
Linguistic Theory

scholarly journals The importance of being modular

2004 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
PIETER A. M. SEUREN
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Linguistic Theory ◽  
The Other ◽  
Large Majority ◽  
Syntactic Theory ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
The One ◽  
Radical Construction

William Croft,Radical Construction Grammar: syntactic theory in typological perspective. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Pp. xxviii+416.My reason for writing this review article is that I want to highlight a particular basic opposition in linguistic theory and methodology. On the one hand, we have what is usually called COGNITIVISM, represented in the book under review by the new theory of Radical Construction Grammar, henceforth RCG. On the other hand, there is a variety of schools, together forming a large majority in the field, whose theoretical overlap may be characterized by the term MODULARITY. I argue against cognitivism and in favour of the modularity view, and I am using the book under review as an opportunity to define the issue and put forward the arguments.

Mari C. Jones, Language obsolescence and revitalization: Linguistic change in two sociolinguistically contrasting Welsh communities. (Oxford studies in language contact.) Oxford: Clarendon; New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Pp. x, 452.

2000 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-301
Author(s):  
Carol Trosset
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
General Interest ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
Strong Trend ◽  
Current State ◽  
Local Dialect ◽  
Welsh Language ◽  
Parallel Fashion

Jones's book should fascinate two audiences: those concerned with the current state of the Welsh language, and those with a more general interest in the phenomenon of language obsolescence. Her presentation is both clearly readable and meticulous in its detail. The work centers on case studies of two sociologically similar but linguistically different communities, Rhymney and Rhosllannerchrugog, situated in different regions of Wales. These studies investigate, in parallel fashion, the varied retention both of Welsh and of its relevant local dialect across the generations. Jones demonstrates greater linguistic retention in the community where Welsh still plays a significant role in everyday social interactions (Rhosllannerchrugog), but her data also illustrate a strong trend in both communities toward the greater use of historically inappropriate forms by younger speakers. Both studies also reveal a recent loss of dialect-specific features, to the point where many schoolchildren in both towns fail even to recognize the local dialect as belonging to their own community. Jones's generational analysis is quite revealing, particularly because the current set of generations have experienced quite different social contexts with respect to the state of the language and its use in official settings.

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