Munda Linguistics Typological, Descriptive and Diachronic Perspectives

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The volume presents a range of contemporary research on Munda languages coming from Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages-a leading centre of research on this topic. Three of the authors are Munda adivasi scholars. Chapters cover topics ranging from a periodized understanding of contact effects in Munda language history, quirky features of negation found in Munda languages, and the ecology of low status tribal languages in the Indian context. Other chapters detail phonetic features of Santali, Sora's systems of noun incorporation and cardinal numerals and various syntactic characteristics, and pluractionality in the verbal system of Gta?

Dr. Gregory D. S. Anderson specializes in linguistic typology and language documentation of Munda languages, Trans- Himalayan languages, Burushaski and the indigenous languages of the Americas, Africa, Siberia and the Pacific. He is the author of numerous books and articles covering morphology, phonology, syntax, phonetics, typology, historical linguistics, endangerment issues, etc.

Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute (Deemed to be University) celebrated its bicentenary on the 6 October 2021. The Publications Committee of the Bicentenary Celebrations had taken a decision to publish about 20 monographs to mark the completion of two hundred years of its existence. Experts were invited from the disciplines of the three departments of the Institute- Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology. Linguistics and Sanskrit Lexicography as well as from Library Science. The quality and range of the areas covered in these publications is reassuring about the continuing research in these areas at the Institute known for its rich and invaluable contributions. The manuscripts from external experts show the trust and faith they have reposed in the intellectual commitment of the university. We are able to put in your hands 14 of the proposed 20 volumes, chosen on grounds of critical peer reviews. I can say in full faith that these monographs reflect the signs of progress and growth of the Institute, and that they convey not only the content, but also the abiding interest of the Institute in the unmixed pursuit of knowledge.

This set of nine chapters represents a range of academic work being carried out by researchers at Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages under the auspices of the Munda Languages Initiative-the only research program where the majority of researchers are adivasi scholars. The chapters span various typological, descriptive and diachronic approaches to a host of topics within the analysis of the morphology, phonetics and syntax of the Munda languages individually and as a family.

Several of these studies were presented at different times at conference proceedings in India. Cambodia, Australia, and the USA. A couple have been updated and revised from earlier versions. All represent current and unique work in Munda linguistics. This is a sample of the varied scholarly, applied linguistic and popular media work being carried out by the Munda Languages Initiative at Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. Following an introductory chapter, the eight other contributions cover a wide range of topics in Munda linguistics, diachronic, descriptive and typological, from phonetics to morphology to syntax to sociolinguistics. Chapter 2 discusses contact driven morphosyntactic restructuring in Munda languages. Chapter 3 introduces some quirky features associated with negative constructions in the Munda languages. Chapter 4 discusses how the socio-political, economic and linguistic ecologies of India are not favorable to likely future success of the 'tribal' communities at the bottom of these various hierarchies: The 'particularly vulnerable tribal' groups are the ones that have been most disenfranchised and disproportionately adversely affected by State actions allegedly in name of the betterment of these very same populations due to the ecological realities these minority communities find themselves in. Chapter 5 is a demonstration of the clear iambic pattern of second syllable prominence in Santali as spoken in Assam in disyllables based on instrumental acoustic phonetic data and supporting statistics. Chapter 6 introduces the system of noun incorporation in Sora, including some unusual features it contains from a typological perspective as well as suggesting noun incorporation is old in Austroasiatic. Chapter 7 is a discussion of the original cardinal numeral system of Sora as two different dialects have different systems, and it suggests the mixed duodecimal-vigesimal system of Lanjiasor reflects a mixture of a recent adoption of the vigesimal system common in the area, while the duodecimal system is the likely result of system of finger counting used locally. Chapter 8 gives an overview of Sora syntax. Chapter 9 discusses an element in the verbal system of Gta? that appears to encode pluractionality.

**Contents and Sample Pages**