edited by

Jane Simpson, David Nash, Mary Laughren,
Peter Austin and Barry Alpher
PL 512

In 1959-60 Ken Hale documented around seventy Australian languages using the methods of modern linguistics and anthropology.  In the years since, Hale (now Emeritus Professor at MIT) has written and published numerous papers on theoretical and descriptive topics, made his field records available to several generations of linguists, and encouraged native speakers in studying and maintaining their languages.

The 36 contributions to this volume reflect the broad diversity of Hale’s pioneering work.  The 38 contributors include linguists from Australia and North America, and three Australian language speakers.

The volume starts with several chapters dealing directly with Hale’s fieldwork, beginning as he did in Alice Springs with Arrernte and Warlpiri.  These include first-hand accounts, by Sara Hale and others, of what it was like grappling with fresh ideas and being in the field in Australia in the 1960s, and serve to place his work in the broader context of Australian language studies. The breathtaking scope of Hale’s contribution, both in terms of languages documented and topics examined, is reflected in the diversity of languages and topics covered by the remaining chapters: theory, typology, methodology; syntax, semantics, phonology, morphology, historical linguistics, language change and creativity, and language policy implementation.

The volume also includes an interview with Hale, two vocabularies collected by Hale and O’Grady in 1960, and a bibliography of Hale's Australian work.

2001    ISBN: 0 85883 524 X      xvii + 528 pp.

Price: Australia $55.00  International $50.00
 (Postage is extra; 900g)

Available from:

Pacific Linguistics
RSPAS
Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200
Tel: +61 2 6125 2742
Fax: +61 2 6125 4896

Email: jmanley@coombs.anu.edu.au

http://pacling.anu.edu.au