Review of Denwood, Tibetan (Language 77, 2001)

868 LANGUAGE, VOLUME 77, NUMBER 4, (2001) memory in language processing. Emphasizing that there are specific kinds of memory, EDWARD S m and ANATGEVA(Ch. 6) and L m CERMAK (Ch. 7) discuss the role of memory in sentence understanding in light of cases of patients with memory problems. In the fourth part, different approaches to brainlanguage relationship are examined. SHEILA BLIJMSTEIN and WILLIAMMILBERG(Ch. 9). ALFONSO CARAMAZZA (Ch. 1I), and DAVD SWINNEY,PENCY and Tracy Love (Ch. 14) discuss the nature PRATHER, of the lexical system and the question of lexical access during language processing, based on data from aphasic individuals. MARTINALBERT(Ch. 8) describes the chemical correlates of naming and anomia aphasia. HIRAMBROWNELL (Ch. 10) describes the role of the right hemisphere in the comprehension of CANSECO-GONZALES metaphor. ENRIQUETA (Ch. 12) discusses using the recording of event-related brain potential in the understanding of language processing systems. Finally, HAROLD GOODGLASS (Ch. 13) discusses the association between grammatical gender of a noun and the access to the syntactic feature. The syntax-discourse interface is discussed in the last part. SERGEYAVRUTIN(Ch. 15) and DAVID CAPLAN (Ch. 16) defend the idea that the processing of complex syntactic structures requires the participation of various regions of the brain other than Broca's area. MARIAMERCEDES MANGO (Ch. 17) shows that the problem of Broca's aphasics with the comprehension of noncanonical constructions is the conflict between the product of semantic linking and the product of syntactic linking. JOANMALING(Ch. 18) and LEVISSHAPIRO (Ch. 19) discuss gap filling structures and the repercussion of their existence in the processing of sentences in normal and aphasic individuals. Several chapters challenge some of the views established in the study of brain-language relationship and open new avenues of investigation in this area, constituting therefore a proper homage to Edgar Zurif s creative mind. [CELSOV. NOVAES, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.] Somali. By JOHNSAEED.(London Oriental and African language library 10.) Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjarnins, 1999. Pp. xv, 295. This is an outstanding overview of Somali, one of the most widely spoken Cushitic languages, with detailed linguistic descriptions of its general framework (1-6), phonology (7-51), morphology and word formation (53-162), syntax (163-228), and pragmatics of discourse (229-250). Two appendixes list all the data sources (251-52) and offer some parsed sample texts (253-65). The volume ends with a bibliography (279-87) and indexes (289-95). It is somewhat annoying that the editors opted for final notes (267-77) instead of the more useful footnotes. Whereas such a choice might be somehow justified in works of haute divulgation, it is quite objectionable in the case of scholarly publications. The presentation of the materials and the descriptive analysis used here are impeccable and make this work exceedingly practical for linguists and students working in Somali, Cushitic, or Afroasiatic studies. The overall methodology employed seems to depend on the typologico-functional approach, as formulated by Talmy Givon and others. This approach has proven especially fertile in the description and close analysis of diverse languages of the world as opposed to other perhaps more heavily theoretical but rather English-centric schools. The description of the vocalic system (1 1-16) argues in favor of two series of vowels differentiated by the ATR feature: back [ - ATR] and front [ ATR] vowels. Saeed is in agreement with the vast majority of scholars of Somali in his adherence to B. W. Andrzejewski's description of a dual system opposing fronting vs. retracting for the Somali vowels; see also Annarita Puglielli, 'Somali phonology', (Phonologies ofAsia and Africa, 523-25. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1997)-this is not included in S's bibliography. As I have mentioned elsewhere (Language 75.141). one still misses a discussion-or a simple mention-of Joseph Pia's proposal concerning a multiply-tiered system (Current progress in AfroAsiatic linguistics, Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 1978, 463-75). This well-written and intelligibly explained work will help to improve the knowledge of Somali among linguists and readers interested in Somali matters and in the peoples and the languages of the Horn of Africa. S should be thanked and congratulated for this delightful book. [GONZALO RUBIO,Ohio State University.] + Tibetan. By PHILIPDENWOOD. (London Oriental and African language library 3.) Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1999. Pp. xix, 372. Although attention is given to other dialects and to Preclassical (PT) and Classical Tibetan (CT), this overview is actually a thorough linguistic description of the modem dialect spoken in the Lhasa area. The first chapters deal with the geographic framework (1-1 I), the history (13- 19). and the dialects (21-45) of Tibetan and its speakers. A discussion of the levels of analysis-graphematic, phonological, and lexicogrammatical-(47-53) is followed by a presentation of the script and some morphophonological matters linked to the writing interface (55-68). The next eight chapters (69-242) are devoted to the Lhasa BOOK NOTICES dialect, covering phonology, morphology, and syntax in detail. A short sketch of PT and CT (243-73) provides the reader with a mesmerizing window into the grammar of this culturally and historically important language. The final chapter (275-87) presents a few parsed textual samples of Lhasa, PT, and CT. The appendixes include a list of dialects (289-95) and a brief description of the phonology of other Tibetan dialects (297-306). The volume concludes with an extensive bibliography (307-56) and indexes (357-72). It is rather surprising that Denwood appears reluctant to accept that all Tibetan dialects are historically part of the same Tibetan language sensu stricto (43-44). It is true that one should reject any reductionist approach to the linguistic history of Tibetan-i.e. attempts at making PT or CT the direct ancestor of any of the modem spoken or written variants. There were certainly other vernacular variants which were never written and may well account for the ancestry of most contemporary dialects. It is also clear that the traditional tree model, with its monolithic Ursprache, works as a Procrustean bed on which a wide and complex range of evidence can hardly fit. However, one cannot deny that, regardless of the specifics of their internal relationship, the different ancient and modem Tibetan dialects belong to a branch of the Tibeto-Burman group within the larger Sino-Tibetan family. It is simply quite farfetched to propose, as D does, that the conspicuous and consistent correspondences between the different dialectal variants are either the result of a creole-like model of interaction or due to external influence. Probably the guidelines for the series and the overwhelming focus on the modem dialect of Lhasa have prevented D from exploring some potentially fecund avenues, especially concerning historical developments. For instance, when discussing the issue of the 'a-chung or 'small a ' (57), usually transliterated as an apostrophe, there is no mention of the possible prenasal feature represented by this grapheme as a prefix in CT, as is probably reflected in some modem Tibetan dialects with prenasalized clusters; see Stephan V. Beyer (The Classical Tibetan language, 47. Albany: SUNY Press, 1992). Such a consideration would carry considerable weight in the ongoing discussion on the reconstruction of the intransitivizing prefix in Old Chinese (either a voiced laryngeal *hor a nasal segment *N- whose articulation point is determined by the following segment); see Laurent Sagart (The roots of Old Chinese, 74. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 1999). In spite of these few observations, this book offers an excellent overview of Lhasa Tibetan as well as some insights on PT and CT. This focus on a modern dialect makes the book especially valuable For linguists, but it may discourage some general readers whose interest lies in the Classical language. [GONZALO RUBIO,Ohio State Uni~>ersirl..] 869 Ethiopic documents: Argobba grammar and dictionary. By WOLFLESLAU.(Aethiopistische Forschungen 47.) Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1997, Pp. xv, 274. Leslau has published essential grammars, dictionaries, and studies of the vast majority of the Semitic languages of Ethiopia, as well as made diverse contributions to our understanding of other Semitic languages (such as SoqoLri in the Modem South Arabian group) and to Semitic and Afroasiatic linguistics in general. Argobba is the South Ethiopic Semitic language spoken by the Argobbas-who are Muslims-in the regions of Ankober (North Argobba) and Harar (South Argobba). More than half a century ago, South Argobba became extinct and was replaced by Oromo in Harar. In his lifetime of research, L has had diverse opportunities to work with different speakers of North Argobba. Unfortunately, the only speaker of South Argobba to whom L had access in the mid 1940s had no teeth, which put an end to L's work on that dialect. Nevertheless, several dialectal variants can still be distinguished based on early linguistic surveys of Argobba (132-35). The first part of the volume (1-135) is devoted to a thorough descriptive grammar of Argobba, including an especially useful chapter (1 16-31) on isoglosses shared by Argobba and Amharic as well as linguistic features that differentiate both Ethiopic languages. The second part includes reprints of four previously published articles: on the old descriptions of Argobba published by Seetzen and Lefebvre (137-45); on Argobba vocabulary (147-57); on Arabic loanwords in this language (159-62); and L's early article with a preliminary description of the same language (163-85). The third part presents Argobba-English (188-227) and English-Argobba (228-51) dictionaries. The volume closes with indexes of the Argobba and English terms discussed. In spite of its many virtues, this work would have been even more useful if a chapter on syntax (in addition to the overall section on clauses and conjunctions, 98- 110) and a selection of Argobba texts had only been included, as Stefan Weninger has pointed out in his recent review (Orientalistische Literaturzeitung 95.63-65, 2000). In light of the pace at which many of these languages spoken in Ethiopia and other African countries are dying and being substituted by national official languages (Amharic, Arabic, Hausa, etc.), swift fieldwork should be urged in order to document and archive the actual linguistic artifacts of their speakers (oral traditions, improvised speeches, folklore, etc.). In sum, as expected, this work lives up to the standards of excellence set by L in his long and exceedingly fruitful career as a leading scholar in Semitic linguistics, and he should be thanked and congratu-