1st Edition
A Grammar of Mangghuer A Mongolic Language of China's Qinghai-Gansu Sprachbund
This book is a grammar of Mangghuer, a Mongolic language spoken by approximately 25,000 people in China's northwestern Qinghai Province. Mangghuer is virtually unknown outside China, and no grammar of Mangghuer has ever been published in any language. The book's primary importance is thus as a systematic grammatical description of a little-known language. The book also makes a significant contribution to comparative Mongolic studies. In addition to the synchronic description of Mangghuer, extensive comparison with other Mongolic languages is included, demonstrating the genetic relationship of Mangghuer within that family. In the course of describing Mangghuer linguistic structures, the book also examines issues of interest to linguistic typologists.
Biography
Keith W. Slater
‘This is the most thorough and careful study we have to date on Monguor morphosyntax.' - Arienne M. Dwyer, The Journal of Asian Studies
‘His grammar of Mangghuer is a significant contribution both to Mongolian linguistics and to the study of language contact and areal phenomena.’ - György Kara, Anthropological Linguistics
‘This brilliant study is a wonderfully readable and detailed grammar of the Monguor language as it is spoken in Mínhé county in Qinghái province… An insightful and well-written contribution of lasting value.’ - George van Driem, Studies in Language
'[A] valuable and pioneering presentation of Mangghuer grammar.' - Juha Janhunen, Studia Orientalia
'Slater has not only provided a meticulous study of the grammatical structures of the Mangghuer language, but he has also presented one of the first typological overviews of the QGS and a characterization of language contact processes among its constituent languages. This book is a great contribution to both the field of Mongolian studies as well as language contact studies in general, and it would be a welcome addition to any Mongolist's library' - Andrew Shimunek, Mongolian Studies
