Grammatical Voice (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics) by Fernando Zúñiga (Author)

Grammatical Voice (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics) by Fernando Zúñiga and Seppo Kittilä offers an in-depth exploration of grammatical voice, a key concept in linguistics that describes how the syntactic structure of a sentence reflects the relationship between the action and its participants. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the typology, functions, and grammaticalization of voice across different languages. It examines the variations in voice systems, from passive and antipassive constructions to the more complex systems like applicative or causative voices. By analyzing cross-linguistic data, the authors offer insights into the universality and diversity of voice in human languages, making it an essential text for both students and researchers in linguistics.

Keypoints:

1. Comprehensive Overview: Offers a thorough introduction to grammatical voice, covering its definition, typology, and functions in language.

2. Cross-Linguistic Approach: Provides detailed examples from a wide range of languages, highlighting the diversity of voice systems around the world.

3. Grammaticalization of Voice: Explores how voice constructions evolve and become grammaticalized in different languages over time.

4. Voice Typology: Discusses the major types of voice systems, including passive, antipassive, middle, and causative constructions, among others.

5. Syntactic and Semantic Functions: Investigates how voice structures affect sentence structure and the interpretation of participants in a sentence.

6. Applications to Linguistic Theory: Connects the study of voice to broader linguistic theories, such as syntactic theory, semantic roles, and functional morphology.

7. Illustrative Data: Includes numerous examples from both well-known and lesser-known languages to support theoretical concepts and showcase linguistic diversity.

8. Cross-Disciplinary Insights: Bridges syntax, semantics, and typology, offering insights useful for fields like language acquisition, historical linguistics, and language documentation.

9. Authoritative Text: Written by two experts in the field, providing a scholarly yet accessible resource for students, linguists, and language enthusiasts.

10. Pedagogical Focus: Features clear explanations and a logical structure, making it suitable for both academic study and independent learning.

Conclusion:

Grammatical Voice by Zúñiga and Kittilä is an essential resource for anyone interested in understanding the intricacies of how languages encode the relationship between action and participants. Its thorough, cross-linguistic analysis and authoritative content make it an indispensable text in the field of linguistics, suitable for both advanced students and researchers looking to explore the complexities of grammatical voice.

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Writer              ✤           Fernando Zúñiga (Author), Seppo Kittilä (Author)