S-Stem Nouns and Adjectives in Greek and Proto-Indo-European: A Diachronic Study in Word Formation

ISBN-13: 9780199280087 / Angielski / Twarda / 2006 / 288 str.

Torsten Meissner

Opis

This book deals with one aspect of Greek and Proto-Indo-European nominal morphology, the formation, inflection and semantics of s-stem nouns and adjectives. It uncovers the mechanisms of their creation and shows their limitation. The established view that the nouns are an unproductive category is challenged; at the same time, the expanding and partly changing nature of the basis governing the creation of the adjectives is explained. Morphology and semantics are studied in tandem, and a large chronological span of the Greek language is covered. The historical side is then extended into prehistory, and in particular the Greek evidence is tested against recent theories on Proto-Indo-European ablaut, leading to a reassessment of the morphonological characteristics in question.

Recenzje

Let us hope that more word classes recieve a similar treatment in future.

O autorze

Torsten Meissner is University Lecturer in Classics (Philology and Linguistics), and Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge.