Eastern Kayah Li: Grammar, Texts, Glossary

Eastern Kayah Li: Grammar, Texts, Glossary presents the first full-length study of a Karen dialect not heretofore described in linguistic literature. Tibeto-Burman language studies have received considerable attention in recent years, expanding linguists' knowledge and understanding of the Burmese-related areas of the family. The Karen languages have received some attention in this process, but much remains unknown about them. Dr. Solnit's study throws needed light on an area too little studied until now. The language described in his study is an Eastern dialect of Kayah Li. Kayah in turn is a Central Karen language, and Karen is a major subdivision the Tibet-Burman branch of Sino-Tibetan. Kayah Li has perhaps 100,000 speakers, all in Burma except for some 1,500 in the Mae Hong Son province of Thailand. The variety of Eastern Kayah described here is spoken in villages lying both south and north of Mae Hong Son town in northwest Thailand. The book is divided into three sections: grammar, texts, and Kayah Li-English glossary. There is also an English-Kayah index of short glosses. Linguists interested in Southeast Asian languages will find the book of considerable interest. The texts will be of interest to linguists studying spoken texts and oral literature. The glossary will be of value to professionals and visitors who come in contact with Kayah-Li speakers.