This book shows that every language has an adjective class and how such classes vary. The opening chapter considers current generalizations about the nature and classification of adjectives and sets out the cross-linguistic parameters of their variation. Thirteen chapters then explore adjective classes in languages from North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Studies of well-known languages such as Russian, Japanese, Korean and Lao are juxtaposed with the languages of small hunter-gatherer and slash-and-burn agriculturalist groups. All are based on fine-grained field research. The nature and typology of adjective classes is then reconsidered in the conclusion. The authors reveal that the grammatical properties of the adjective class may be similar to nouns or verbs or both or neither; that some languages have two kinds of adjectives, one hard to distinguish from nouns and the other from verbs; and that the adjective class can sometimes be large and open, and in other cases small and closed. The book will interest scholars and advanced students of language typology and of the syntax and semantics of adjectives. 'Dixon's introductory chapter, "Adjectival classes in typological perspective", is clearly destined to be a classic in the field.... This volume will clearly be useful to anyone interested in adjectives and the nature of linguistic categorization.' Gary Holton, Linguist List

1. Adjective Classes in Typological Perspective, R. M. W. Dixon 2. Inflected and Uninflected Adjective in Japanese, Anthony E. Backhouse 3. The Two Adjective Classes in Manange, Carol Genetti and Kristine Hildebrandt 4. The Adjective Class in Tariana, Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald 5. Adjectives in Mam, Nora C. England 6. Adjectives in Papantla Totonac, Paulette Levy 7. The Small Adjective Class in Jarawara, R. M. W. Dixon 8. The Russian Adjective: A Pervasive yet Elusive Category, Greville G. Corbett 9. The Adjective Class in Korean, Ho-min Sohn 10. Is There an Adjective Class in Wolof?, Fiona McLaughlin 11. Adjectives in North-East Ambae, Catriona Hyslop 12. Adjectives in Semelai, Nicole Kruspe 13. Adjectives in Qiang, Randy J. LaPolla and Chenglong Huang 14. Adjectives in Lao, N. J. Enfield 15. Adjective Classes: What Can we Conclude?, John Hajek References Author Index Language and Language Family Index Subject Index