The handbook The Semitic Languages offers a comprehensive reference tool for Semitic Linguistics in its broad sense. It is not restricted to comparative Grammar, although it covers also comparative aspects, including classification. By comprising a chapter on typology and sections with sociolinguistic focus and language contact, the conception of the book aims at a rather complete, unbiased description of the state of the art in Semitics. Articles on individual languages and dialects give basic facts as location, numbers of speakers, scripts, numbers of extant texts and their nature, attestation where appropriate, and salient features of the grammar and lexicon of the respective variety. The handbook is the most comprehensive treatment of the Semitic language family since many decades.

Autorentext

Stefan Weninger, University of Marburg, Germany; Geoffrey Khan, University of Cambridge, UK; Michael P. Streck, University of Leipzig, Germany; Janet C. E. Watson, University of Salford, UK.

Zusammenfassung

"This thick book will most certainly be a go-to resource and vademecum for all students and scholars who have cause or interest to study these languages."
Adam C. McCollum in: Linguist List 24.33

"The handbook under review contains some excellent grammatical sketches of the Semitic languages. As such it is a very useful tool [...]"
Edward Lipinski in: The Polish Journal of Biblical Research, Vol. 11, p.78-109, 2012