Combining disparate lines of evidence in the study of the history of language isolates, exemplified with Mochica from Northern Peru
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Matthias Urban
Abstract
This article provides a synthesizing discussion of different lines of evidence for the linguistic history of the Mochica language (Northern Peru). Among the topics discussed are the inference of the former geographic extension through toponymic study; the study of indigenous personal names as a fertile source of information on grammatical structure, particularly the genesis and nature of an unusual numeral classifier system; internal reconstruction; local as well as rather spectacular cases of long-distance language contact; areal typology; sociolinguistic typology; the reconstruction of outlines of the social ecology of the language in its pre-Columbian context; and the interdisciplinary contextualization of linguistic data with that of other disciplines that study human prehistory. Thus, the article provides an exemplary case study of the richly textured picture which a multi-pronged approach can paint on the history of isolates.
Abstract
This article provides a synthesizing discussion of different lines of evidence for the linguistic history of the Mochica language (Northern Peru). Among the topics discussed are the inference of the former geographic extension through toponymic study; the study of indigenous personal names as a fertile source of information on grammatical structure, particularly the genesis and nature of an unusual numeral classifier system; internal reconstruction; local as well as rather spectacular cases of long-distance language contact; areal typology; sociolinguistic typology; the reconstruction of outlines of the social ecology of the language in its pre-Columbian context; and the interdisciplinary contextualization of linguistic data with that of other disciplines that study human prehistory. Thus, the article provides an exemplary case study of the richly textured picture which a multi-pronged approach can paint on the history of isolates.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
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Part I. Setting the stage
- Introduction 2
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Part II. Typological features of isolates vs. non-isolates
- Is there a typological profile of isolates? 22
- The Amuric language family 48
- An Austronesian-type voice system in an Amazonian isolate? 71
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Part III. Recovering the histories of isolates
- Etymologies in a language isolate 104
- The Small Bang 142
- Combining disparate lines of evidence in the study of the history of language isolates, exemplified with Mochica from Northern Peru 176
- The Múra doculects and Múra-Pirahã historical linguistics 208
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Part IV. Isolates and language contact
- Baroque accretions and isolation 248
- California isolates 270
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Part V. Isolates and language documentation and classification
- One language or two? 306
- Subject index 335
- Language index 337
- Name index 339
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
-
Part I. Setting the stage
- Introduction 2
-
Part II. Typological features of isolates vs. non-isolates
- Is there a typological profile of isolates? 22
- The Amuric language family 48
- An Austronesian-type voice system in an Amazonian isolate? 71
-
Part III. Recovering the histories of isolates
- Etymologies in a language isolate 104
- The Small Bang 142
- Combining disparate lines of evidence in the study of the history of language isolates, exemplified with Mochica from Northern Peru 176
- The Múra doculects and Múra-Pirahã historical linguistics 208
-
Part IV. Isolates and language contact
- Baroque accretions and isolation 248
- California isolates 270
-
Part V. Isolates and language documentation and classification
- One language or two? 306
- Subject index 335
- Language index 337
- Name index 339
