Hindko, Panjabi, and Saraiki are three closely related, geographically contiguous languages of Pakistan. Together, they are the native language of some 125 million people. Panjabi alone ranks among the 15 most widely spoken languages in the world. The Grammar of Hindko, Panjabi, and Saraiki provides a comparative description of these three language varieties, focusing, where possible, on the variety of Hindko spoken in Abbottabad, the Panjabi spoken in Lahore, and the Saraiki spoken in Multan. Based on both fieldwork and corpus research, the grammar provides coverage of the phonology, orthography, morphology, and syntax of the language, with extensive exemplification presented in the native Perso-Arabic script along with standard Roman representations and morphological analysis. Written in an accessible style from a basic linguistic theory perspective, this work will be of use to linguistic researchers, language scholars, and students of the languages of Pakistan and South Asia.

Panjabi: A Comprehensive Grammar is a complete reference guide to Panjabi grammar. It presents a fresh, accessible and thorough description of the language, concentrating on the real patterns of use in modern Panjabi. The book moves from the script and sound through morphology and word classes to a detailed analysis of sentence structures and semantic features. The volume is organized to promote a thorough understanding of Panjabi grammar. It offers a stimulating analysis of the complexities of the language, and provides full and clear explanations. Throughout, the emphasis is on Panjabi as used by present-day native speakers. An extensive index and numbered paragraphs provide readers with easy access to the information they require. Features include: detailed treatment of the common grammatical structures and parts of speech extensive exemplification particular attention to areas of confusion and difficulty Gurmukhi script and transliteration provided throughout additional chapter on the Shahmuki script Panjabi: A Comprehensive Grammar is an essential reference source for the learner and user of Panjabi. With clear and simple explanations it will remain the standard reference work for years to come for both learners and linguists alike. A Workbook and Reader to accompany this grammar can be downloaded from https://www.routledge.com/products/9781138793866. *Please note that, due to unforseen circumstances, the Workbook and Reader have been delayed.*

In his ambitious survey of the Indo-Aryan languages, Colin Masica has provided a fundamental introduction which will interest not only general and theoretical linguists but also students of one or more of these languages who want to acquaint themselves with the broader linguistic context. Generally synchronic in approach, concentrating on the phonology, morphology and syntax of the modern representatives of the group, the volume also covers their historical development, areal context, writing systems and aspects of sociolinguistics. The survey is organised not on a language-by-language basis but by topic, so that salient theoretical issues may be discussed in a comparative context.

With nearly a quarter of the world’s population, members of at least five major language families plus several putative language isolates, South Asia is a fascinating arena for linguistic investigations, whether comparative-historical linguistics, studies of language contact and multilingualism, or general linguistic theory. This volume provides a state-of-the-art survey of linguistic research on the languages of South Asia, with contributions by well-known experts. Focus is both on what has been accomplished so far and on what remains unresolved or controversial and hence offers challenges for future research. In addition to covering the languages, their histories, and their genetic classification, as well as phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and sociolinguistics, the volume provides special coverage of contact and convergence, indigenous South Asian grammatical traditions, applications of modern technology to South Asian languages, and South Asian writing systems. An appendix offers a classified listing of major sources and resources, both digital/online and printed.

The Indo-Aryan languages are spoken by at least 700 million people throughout India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands. They have a claim to great antiquity, with the earliest Vedic Sanskrit texts dating to the end of the second millennium B.C. With texts in Old Indo-Aryan, Middle Indo-Aryan and Modern Indo-Aryan, this language family supplies a historical documentation of language change over a longer period than any other subgroup of Indo-European. This volume is divided into two main sections dealing with general matters and individual languages. Each chapter on the individual language covers the phonology and grammar (morphology and syntax) of the language and its writing system, and gives the historical background and information concerning the geography of the language and the number of its speakers.

Pashto/Pushto/Pukhto is a group of varieties used by as many as 30 million people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, yet a grammar describing these varieties collectively has not been published. The CASL Pashto grammar originates from extensive use of both primary and secondary materials. It attends to features of both spoken and written forms of Pashto and exemplifies the latter generously with naturally-occurring sentences. Detailed descriptions are provided of the phonology and orthography and of the inflectional and derivational morphology applied to all major word classes, with special attention to the complex morphology of verb formation and descriptions of the multiple pronominal systems. Notes on some of the prominent syntactic constructions are provided as a descriptive basis for learners of Pashto and for those interested in syntactic properties characteristic of South Asian languages. For the first time, the highly distinctive Middle dialects, including Waziri, receive attention next to the other major dialect groups. A formal grammar focusing on the morphology is an available companion work.

Death Before Dying offers a window on the Sufi mystical tradition, providing a rare glimpse into the religious lives of rural Muslims during the days of the Mughal Empire. The poetry of Sultan Bahu has inspired Sufis of the Punjab for countless generations, embodying essential characteristics of the mystical tradition, especially in its emphasis on complete and unrestricted devotion to God coupled with skepticism toward the formal, legalistic, and institutionalized elements of organized religion.

The series aims to make a significant contribution to modern language studies by providing up-to-date, linguistically sophisticated, and comprehensive language materials, of use to a wide spectrum of users, on major world languages which have hitherto been largely neglected.

Autobiography of a Dalit Panjabi author, editor of Yojana (a Punjabi monthly) and Deputy Director (News), All India Radio, New Delhi.

Bangla is spoken as the majority language in Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal in India, and as a minority language in several other Indian states. With almost 200 million native speakers, it ranks among the top ten languages in the world in number of speakers. Based on both primary and secondary materials, the CASL Bangla grammar provides comprehensive coverage of the phonology, orthography, morphology, and syntax of Bangla. Plentiful examples of naturally-occurring sentences provide native orthography, Romanization, and morpheme-by-morpheme glossing along with free translations. Unlike many Romanizations of Bangla, our system eschews Sanskritic influence and instead reflects actual Bangla phonology. We also offer comparative information of use to linguists, highlighting features of Bangla shared with the South Asian sprachbund, such as light verb constructions, as well as those that differentiate Bangla from its Indo-Aryan relatives; for example, its unique NP structure. Written in an accessible style from a theory-neutral perspective, this work will be of use to linguistic researchers, language scholars, and students of Bangla. A formal grammar focusing on the morphology is an available companion work.