On 2008-04-11 02:15, Rick McCallister wrote:
> It's probably mentioned in here. Although I got it at
> Strand Books in NY for about $15 "used" but in mint
> condition
> It has several descriptions of super-complicated
> morphologies, etc.
>
> The Atlas of Languages (Facts on File Library of
> Language and Literature) (Hardcover)
> by Bernard Comrie (Author), Stephen Matthews (Author,
> Editor), Maria Polinsky (Author, Editor)
I have it too (actually, I translated the Polish edition in 1998). A
very nice book, though with quite a few sloppy errors (see e.g. a map on
p. 213, locating Letzebuergish in the Polish Carpathians and another one
on p. 77, which has the Bay of Bengal on the east coast of Africa, not
to mention a rather horribly screwed-up presentation of the Russian (!)
alphabet on page 193 and a number of transcription blunders). No Yimas
grammar there (though the language is mentioned briefly and a map on p.
107 shows its location). There are, however, some other gems like Kiwai
(SW Papua NG). "The verb morphology of Kiwai is one of the most complex
in the world. Various prefixes, suffixes and infixes indicate subtle
differences of tense, mood and aspect, and the number of agents or
objects..."
<odi> 'string a bow'
<ri-mi-bi-du-mo-i-odi-ai-ama-ri-go> 'in the remote future, they three
will definitely string two bows at a time'.
Piotr