Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics.pdf

A-Z 123ReferencesCarter, R. 1987. Is there a core vocabulary? Some implications for language teaching. AppLing,8:2. 178–93.frequency dictionary, lexicostatisticsbasic word orderword orderbasilectacrolectbasisantecedentBasqueLanguage isolate with approx. 1 million speakers in northern Spain and south-westernFrance, divided into a number of strongly deviating dialects. Basque is possibly related tothe Iberian language, which is attested solely in inscriptions. The first substantial writtendocuments date from the sixteenth century.Characteristics: phonologically, Basque resembles Spanish. Rich morphology(suffixal); syntactically an ergative language: the subject in transitive sentences is in theergative, marked by -ek (e.g. Martin ethorri-da ‘Martin came,’ Martin-ek haurra igorridu‘Martin sent the child,’ in which -ek marks the ergative). Rich agreement system (withsubject, direct and indirect object), agreement markers are typically fusional. Word order:SOV. Numerous lexical borrowings from Latin.ReferencesHualde, J.I. 1991. Basque phonology. London.——and J.Oritz de Urbina (eds) 1993. Generative studies in Basque linguistics. Amsterdam andPhiladelphia.King, A.R. 1994. The Basque language. Reno, CA.Lafitte, P. 1962. Grammaire basque. Bayonne.Lüders, U.J. 1993. The Souletin verbal complex: new approaches to Basque morphophonology.Munich and Newcastle.