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"The chapters in this volume focus on how we might understand the concept of 'unit' in human languages. It is an analytical notion that has been widely adopted by linguists of various theoretical and applied orientations but has recently been critically examined by both typologically oriented and interactional linguistics. This volume contributes to and extends this discussion by examining the nature of units in actual usage in a range of genetically and typologically unrelated languages, English, Finnish, Indonesian, Japanese, and Mandarin, engaging with fundamental theoretical issues. The chapters show that categories originally created for the description of Indo-European languages have limited usefulness if our goal is to understand the nature of human language in general. The authors thus question the status of traditionally accepted linguistic units, especially their static understanding as a priori entities, and suggest instead that an emergent and interactional view of both structure and function offers a better fit with the data from the languages examined. Originally published as special issue 43:2 (2019) of Studies in Language"--

Structural linguistics --- Typology (Linguistics)

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The alignment splits in the Neo-Aramaic languages display a considerable degree of diversity, especially in terms of agreement. While earlier studies have generally oversimplified the actual state of affairs, Paul M. Noorlander offers a meticulous and clear account of nearly all microvariation documented so far, addressing all relevant morphosyntactic phenomena. By means of fully glossed and translated examples, the author shows that this vast variation in morphological alignment, including ergativity, is unexpected from a functional typological perspective. He argues the alignment splits are rather the outcome of several construction-specific processes such as internal system harmonization and grammaticalization, as well as language contact.

Functionalism (Linguistics) --- Grammar, Comparative and general --- Ergative constructions. --- Ergative (Linguistics) --- Functional analysis (Linguistics) --- Functional grammar --- Functional linguistics --- Functional-structural analysis (Linguistics) --- Grammar, Functional --- Grammatical functions --- Linguistics --- Structural linguistics --- Ergative case --- Case --- Syntax --- Philology --- Ancient Near East and Egypt --- Languages and Linguistics --- Language Endangerment & Language Policy --- Morphology & Syntax --- Afro-Asiatic Languages --- Middle East and Islamic Studies --- Syriac language, Modern --- Morphosyntax. --- Variation.

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This pioneering volume lays out a set of methodological principles to guide the description of interpersonal grammar in different languages. It compares interpersonal systems and structures across a range of world languages, showing how discourse, interpersonal relationships between the speakers, and the purpose of their communication, all play a role in shaping the grammatical structures used in interaction. Following an introduction setting out these principles, each chapter focuses on a particular language - Khorchin Mongolian, Mandarin, Tagalog, Pitjantjatjara, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, British Sign Language and Scottish Gaelic - and explores mood, polarity, tagging, vocation, assessment and comment systems. The book provides a model for functional grammatical description that can be used to inform work on system and structure across languages as a foundation for functional language typology.

Functionalism (Linguistics) --- Interpersonal communication. --- Grammar, Comparative and general. --- Systemic grammar. --- Neo-Firthian linguistics --- Scale-and-category grammar --- System-structure grammar --- Systemic linguistics --- Grammar, Comparative and general --- Linguistic analysis (Linguistics) --- Structural linguistics --- Comparative grammar --- Grammar --- Grammar, Philosophical --- Grammar, Universal --- Language and languages --- Philosophical grammar --- Linguistics --- Philology --- Communication --- Interpersonal relations --- Functional analysis (Linguistics) --- Functional grammar --- Functional linguistics --- Functional-structural analysis (Linguistics) --- Grammar, Functional --- Grammatical functions --- Grammar, Comparative --- Interpersonal communication --- Systemic grammar