The Handbook of Chinese Linguistics

"An impressive set of chapters that provides us with an important overview of multiple and diverse aspects of Chinese syntax, semantics, morphology, and phonology."

Richard S. Kayne, New York University

"A highly impressive volume where the major achievements of the last thirty years in the formal study of Chinese are presented in a form accessible even to non-specialists. Compulsory reading for students of Chinese, theoretical linguistics, and typology."

Guglielmo Cinque, Università Ca' Foscari

The Handbook of Chinese Linguistics is the first comprehensive introduction to Chinese linguistics from the perspective of modern theoretical and formal linguistics. Containing twenty-four chapters, the book offers a balanced, accessible, and thoughtfully organized introduction to some of the most important results of research into Chinese linguistics carried out by theoretical linguists in the last several decades. Presenting critical overviews of a wide range of major topics, it is the first to meet the great demand for an overview volume on core areas of Chinese linguistics.

Authoritative contributions describe and assess the major achievements and controversies of research undertaken in each area, and provide bibliographies for further reading. The contributors refer to their own work in relevant fields and also objectively present a range of competitor theories and analyses, resulting in a volume that is comprehensive in its coverage of theoretical research into Chinese linguistics up to the current time.

This unique Handbook is suitable both as a primary reader for structured, taught courses on Chinese linguistics at university level, and for individual study by graduates and other professional linguists.