Publisher's Synopsis
Professor Noble presents a hitherto lacking simplified introduction to the dialects of the modern German language. He reviews their phonology and geography and stresses the essential relationship between the study of contemporary dialects and the study of the history of language. His approach is primarily lautgeographisch but he discusses vocabulary, grammar and the varied methodology of dialectology. His book, which is richly illustrated with maps, tables and diagrams, includes a wide range of written dialect samples. It is primarily intended for students who seek a basic and straightforward, yet detailed introduction providing comparative knowledge of the German, Austrian and Swiss dialects as a whole.
