Language is one of the most fundamental defining features of the human being, and
scholars have been trying to capture its essentials for thousands of years. One way of doing …

The range of mirative meanings across the world's languages subsumes sudden discovery,
surprise, and unprepared mind of the speaker (and also the audience or the main character …

This is the first guide and introduction to the extraordinary range of languages in Amazonia,
which include some of the most the most fascinating in the world and many of which are now …

This book is a cross-linguistic exploration of semantic and functional change in modal
markers. Its approach is broadly functional typological but makes frequent reference to work …

This paper claims that a wide variety of grammatical coding asymmetries can be explained
as adaptations to the language users' needs, in terms of frequency of use, predictability and …

To what extent does perceptual language reflect universals of experience and cognition,
and to what extent is it shaped by particular cultural preoccupations? This paper investigates …

This is a book about the multi-faceted notion of gender. Gender differences form the basis for
family life, patterns of socialization, distribution of tasks, and spheres of responsibilities. The …

This book introduces the principles and practice of writing a comprehensive reference
grammar. Several thousand distinct languages are currently spoken across the globe, each …

Most of the time our utterances are automatically interpreted as speech acts: as assertions,
conjectures and testimonies; as orders, requests and pleas; as threats, offers and promises …

This paper investigates the interpretive restrictions on the subjects of imperative, promissive,
and exhortative sentences—what we call the “jussive” clause types. It argues that the data …