Bücher der Reihe Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs [TiLSM]

TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks, as well as studies that provide new insights by approaching language from an interdisciplinary perspective. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing.

This book presents the theory that the linguistic and cultural landscape of Europe north of the Alps and the Pyrenees was shaped in prehistoric times by the interaction of Indo-European speakers with speakers of languages related to Basque and to Semitic. These influences on the lexicon, grammar, and toponymy of the West Indo-European languages (with special focus on Germanic) are demonstrated in German and English research papers, provided here with summaries, commentaries, and a new introduction in English, and with general and etymological indexes.