The second edition of the International Encyclopedia of Linguistics encompasses the full range of the contemporary field of linguistics. Entries of up to four thousand words survey the major fields of study, while shorter entries treat specific topics, define and discuss technical terms and provide sketches of the careers of important scholars in the history of linguistics. A major emphasis of the work is its extensive coverage of languages from all
corners of the world. Language lists attached to each article on a language group or family enumerate all languages, extinct or still spoken, and provide detailed information on the number of known speakers, geographical range, and degree of intelligibility with other languages in the group. Each article in the
Encylopedia is supported by up-to-date bibliographies, and is readily accessible via a system of cross-references, a detailed index and synoptic outline. Line drawings, maps, tables, and diagrams are generously employed to illustrate the text of many articles. Authoritative, comprehensive, and innovative, the second edition of the International Encyclopedia of Linguistics will be an indispensable addition to personal, public, academic, and research libraries and will
introduce a new generation of readers to the complexities and concerns of this field of study.