Thirty Years of Linguistic Evolution

Book excerpt: For this volume, 30 well-known linguistics and researcher in related fields were invited to present an overview of their most important insights and theories as these have evolved over the past 30 years. Against the background of work done in other areas of study, the contributors reflect on the development of their ideas; the book shows what progress has been made, and how priorities have shifted these past decades. By placing current ideas in a wider historical perspective, Thirty Years of Linguistics Evolution will become a unique instrument for future generations of linguists to gain insight into the overall trends and problems that have dominated linguistics in the second half of the 20th century. The impressive contributions to this volume provide a glowing and appropriate testimonial to the many years of effort which René Dirven has devoted to linguistic research and to the forging of contacts between scholars all over the world. The topics are wide-ranging, the titles intriguing, the content challenging. The whole has been scrupulously edited by Martin Pütz to provide a book which I am sure will be of considerable interest and value to scholars and students alike. David Crystal, Bangor, Wales.