Introduction

Chapters in this book

1. Prelim pages i
2. Table of contents v
3. Preface vii
4. Abbreviations and conventions ix
5. Introduction 1
6. The semantic reduction of the noun universe and the diachrony of nominal classification 9
7. Niger-Congo numeral classifiers in a diachronic perspective 33
8. Semantic generalization in Ch’orti’ Mayan numeral classifiers 77
9. Diachronic and synchronic aspects of the simplification of grammatical gender in an obsolescent language 107
10. Numeral classifier systems in the Araxes-Iran linguistic area 135
11. The diachrony of Oceanic possessive classifiers 165
12. Development and diffusion of classifier systems in Southwestern Amazonia 201
13. Nominal and verbal classification 241
14. The diachrony of inflectional classes in four Germanic languages 283
15. The history of verb classification in Nyulnyulan languages 315
16. Author index 353
17. Language index 355
18. Subject index 359