A Theory of Textual Reconstruction in Indo-European Linguistics
Author | : Ranko Matasović |
Publisher | : Peter Lang Gmbh, Internationaler Verlag Der Wissenschaften |
Total Pages | : 208 |
Release | : 1996 |
ISBN-10 | : STANFORD:36105021142935 |
ISBN-13 | : |
Rating | : 4/5 (35 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: The theory presented in this book is an attempt to extend the comparative method to linguistic structures of the highest level, i.e., to texts. It shows how fragments of Proto-Indo-European poetry can be reconstructed on the basis of etymologically related expressions, occurring in corresponding contexts in various Indo-European languages. The book also contains a chapter on the formal elements of Proto-Indo-European poetry, and an etymological survey of the poetic terminology of Indo-European languages. The book is intended primarily for Indo-Europeanists, but also for scholars of comparative literature, as its conclusions touch upon the literary prehistory of several Indo-European traditions.