Mixe-Zoquean Documentation and Comparative Linguistics

9411247考夫曼 摘要 该项目将推进Mixe-Zoquean（MZ）语言的比较研究，主要是通过扩大这些语言中大多数语言的文本数量和词汇数据量：几乎所有语言都缺乏这两个领域的足够文献。由于现场情况的结构，我们预计该项目将导致一个学者网络的发展，在MZ语言的描述性和历史性问题的工作-这已经需要了相当长的一段时间。大部分赠款资金用于支持恢复现代MZ语言新信息的实地工作。部分资金用于epi-Olmec破译研究（其中主要研究人员取得了重大突破），因为对两个完整epi-Olmec文本的解释对MZ比较语言学做出了重大贡献。这项工作在几个领域都很重要。MZ语言具有当前语言学理论感兴趣的语法特性。它有可能对早期中美洲文化和语言历史做出重大贡献; MZ语言由奥尔梅克人使用，在奥尔梅克时代有影响力，随后影响了该地区的许多其他语言。它有助于正在进行的epi-Olmec文字的破译;其文本的解释在很大程度上依赖于MZ比较研究，这在最初的破译中至关重要。最后，它还包括一项重大的语言抢救行动，帮助保存美洲语言遗产的重要组成部分。 ***

9411247 Kaufman ABSTRACT This project will advance the comparative study of Mixe-Zoquean (MZ) languages, mainly through expanding the number of texts and the amount of lexical data on most of these languages: almost all lack adequate documentation in both of these areas. Due to the structure of the field situation, we expect this project to lead to the development of a network of scholars working on both descriptive and historical issues in MZ languages -- something that has been need for quite some time. Most of the grant funds are in support of field work to recover new information on the modern MZ languages. Some of the funding is devoted to epi-Olmec decipherment research (in which the principal investigators have made the major breakthroughs), since the interpretation of two intact epi-Olmec texts is making significant contributions to MZ comparative linguistics. The work is significant in several areas. MZ languages have grammatical properties of interest to current linguistic theory. It has the potential to make a major contribution to early Mesoamerican cultural and linguistic history; MZ languages were spoken by the Olmecs, and were influential at the Olmec era and subsequently in affecting many other languages in the area. It contributes to the ongoing decipherment of epi-Olmec writing; the interpretation of its texts depends heavily upon MZ comparative studies, which were crucial in the original decipherment. Finally, it includes a major language salvage operation, helping to preserve an important part of the linguistic heritage of the Americas. ***