Asia is not only the world�s largest and most populous continent, it is also the home of about 2,300 currently spoken languages which reflect its enormous ethnic and cultural diversity. Its vast population does not only speak widely known languages like Chinese, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Turkish and Persian, but also a large number of languages spoken by small speech communities, among them Burushaski, Chukchi, Hmong, Ket, Semelai and Tzez. Asia also offers a unique view back to several millennia of the human linguistic past, as it shows up in the text sources available for numerous languages, among them Sumerian, Akkadian, Sanskrit and Old Chinese. About one third of the world�s languages are spoken in Asia. The present handbook aims to offer a comprehensive survey of the structural richness that is reflected in the languages of this vast continent. The book provides exemplary descriptions in fourteen chapters on language families, two chapters on geographic groupings of languages without genealogical relatedness (Caucasian, Paleosiberian), a chapter on contact languages (Pidgins and Creoles) and a chapter on language isolates. Each chapter starts with a survey of the languages involved and the genealogical structure of the language family it describes. Contained within these sections are a selected number of individual language descriptions, living languages as well as extinct languages. For the purpose of an optimal coverage of structural diversity, the handbook covers the major languages of Asia as well as languages spoken only by small communities. There will be additional sections on the diachronic development of individual languages and the typological variation within languages spoken by large communities. This handbook is a detailed resource for students and researchers alike on the structure and history of Asian languages.

The Routledge Handbook of Asian Linguistics provides a comprehensive overview of the ways in which Asian languages should be conceptualized as a whole, the distinct characteristics of each language group, and the relationships and results of interactions between the languages and language families in Asia. Asia is the largest and the most populous continent on Earth, and the site of many of the first civilizations. This Handbook aims to provide a systematic overview of Asian languages in both theoretical and functional perspectives, optimally combining the two in intercultural settings. In other words, the text will provide a reference for researchers of individual Asian languages or language groups against the background of the entire range of Asian languages. Not only does the Handbook act as a reference to a particular language, it also connects each language to other Asian languages in the perspective of the entire Asian continent. Cultural roles and communicative functions of language are also emphasized as an important domain where the various Asian languages interact and shape each other. With extensive coverage of both theoretical and applied linguistic topics, The Routledge Handbook of Asian Linguistics is an indispensable resource for students and researchers working in this area.

This must-have handbook offers a comprehensive survey of the field. It reviews the language education policies of Asia, encompassing 30 countries sub-divided by regions, namely East, Southeast, South and Central Asia, and considers the extent to which these are being implemented and with what effect. The most recent iteration of language education policies of each of the countries is described and the impact and potential consequence of any change is critically considered. Each country chapter provides a historical overview of the languages in use and language education policies, examines the ideologies underpinning the language choices, and includes an account of the debates and controversies surrounding language and language education policies, before concluding with some predictions for the future.

This must-have handbook offers a comprehensive survey of the field. It reviews the language education policies of Asia, encompassing 30 countries sub-divided by regions, namely East, Southeast, South and Central Asia, and considers the extent to which these are being implemented and with what effect. The most recent iteration of language education policies of each of the countries is described and the impact and potential consequence of any change is critically considered. Each country chapter provides a historical overview of the languages in use and language education policies, examines the ideologies underpinning the language choices, and includes an account of the debates and controversies surrounding language and language education policies, before concluding with some predictions for the future.

The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Applied Linguistics is written for those wanting to acquire comprehensive knowledge of China, the diaspora and the Sino-sphere communities through Chinese language. It examines how Chinese language is used in different contexts, and how the use of Chinese language affects culture, society, expression of self and persuasion of others; as well as how neurophysiological aspects of language disorder affect how we function and how the advance of technology changes the way the Chinese language is used and perceived. The Handbook concentrates on the cultural, societal and communicative characteristics of the Chinese language environment. Focusing on language use in action, in context and in vivo, this book intends to lay empirical grounds for collaboration and synergy among different fields.

"The Routledge Handbook of Chinese Language and Culture represents the first English anthology that delves into the fascinating and thought-provoking relationship between the Chinese language and culture, exploring various macro and micro perspectives. Chinese culture boasts a history of ten thousand years, while the Chinese language's recorded history spans at least three thousand years, dating back to the Shang dynasty oracle bone inscriptions (OBI). This handbook is comprised of 17 chapters from 18 scholars including Victor Mair and William S-Y. Wang. Many chapters approach their respective topics with a comprehensive and historical outlook. Certain extensive subjects are addressed in multiple chapters, complementing one another. These topics include: The languages and peoples of China, and the southern Chinese dialects Mandarin's evolution into a national language and its related writing reforms Language as a propaganda tool in the Cultural Revolution and in contemporary China Chinese idioms and colloquialisms This book offers an approachable exploration of the subject, appealing to both specialists and enthusiasts of the Chinese language and culture"--

The Routledge Handbook of Korean as a Second Language aims to define the field and to present the latest research in Korean as a second language (KSL). It comprises a detailed overview of the field of KSL teaching and learning, discusses its development, and captures critical cutting-edge research within its major subfields. As the first handbook of KSL published in English, this book will be of particular interest to advanced undergraduates, graduate students, language teachers, curriculum developers, and researchers in the fields of KSL and applied linguistics. While each chapter will be authored by internationally renowned scholars in its major subfields, the handbook aims to maintain accessibility so that it can also be of value to non-specialists.