Bengali: A Comprehensive Grammar is a complete reference guide to Bengali grammar.

It presents a fresh, accessible and thorough description of the language, concentrating on the real patterns of use in modern Bengali. The book moves from the sounds and script through morphology and word classes to a detailed analysis of sentence structures and semantic features such as aspect, tense, negation and reduplication.

The Grammar is an essential reference source for the learner and user of Bengali, irrespective of level. It is ideal for use in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types. With clear and simple explanations this book will remain the standard reference work for years to come for both learners and linguists alike.

The volume is organized to promote a thorough understanding of Bengali grammar. It offers a stimulating analysis of the complexities of the language, and provides full and clear explanations. Throughout, the emphasis is on Bengali 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 Bengali-English parallels highlighted throughout the book.

Contents

A Peripheries A-Z. Historical Background. Script and Sound. B Morphology 1 Nouns 2 Pronouns 3 Verbs 4 Adjectives 5 Adverbs 6 Postpositions 7 Conjunctions 8 Interrogatives 9 Emphasisers, Particles, Interjections C FUNCTIONS C 1 Noun Phrase Structure 2 Pronouns in Use 3 Verbs of Being 6 Compound Verbs 7 Conjunct Verbs 8 Verbal Noun C 9 Imperfective Participle C 10 Conditional Participle C 11 Perfective Participle C 12 Verb Valency D Syntax 1 Sentences and their Components 2 Sentence Classification E Semantic Features 1 Case Use 2 Tense Use 3 Aspect 4 Negation 5 Modals 6 Pairings and Doublings opoeia 8 Individual Verbs 9 Idioms 10 Numerals F Lists 10 Index Bangla 11 Index English

Author Bio

Hanne-Ruth Thompson teaches Bengali at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Previous publications include Essential Everyday Bengali: a grammar and glossary of colloquial Bengali with examples throughout (1999).