From the Back Cover
This book presents an investigation of language contact, focusing on Northwestern China. It breaks down the barrier between human sciences and natural sciences in order to reconsider the diversity of languages on the basis of the latest research findings from genetics, linguistics, and other domains, offering valuable insights into when and how the divergence of languages and genes began and language and gene admixture and replacement occurred. The book focuses on language evolution between the border of Gansu and Qinghai Province in China, but the research doesn't neglect the area beyond China's northern borders. Manchu, a dying language belonging to the Tungusic group, is also studied to enhance our understanding of language replacement. This work is the result of a four-year collaboration between teams of geneticists and linguists in France and China.
Dan Xu, Ph.D. is Exceptional Category Professor (Professeur de classe exceptionnelle) at the INALCO (Institut des Langues et Civilisations Orientales) in France. In 2009 she was elected Senior Member at IUF (University Institute of France). Her research interests focus on syntax in Chinese, language typology and language contacts. Her major works include: 1996/2010. (second printing) Initiation à la syntaxe chinoise [Introduction to Chinese Syntax] Paris: l'Asiathèque. 2006/2014 (Reprinted in China by World Publishing Corporation). Typological change in Chinese Syntax, Oxford University Press. 2014. Tangwang hua yanjiu [Studies of the Tangwang language] Beijing: Minzu chubanshe. 2017 (To appear) Chuanshi wenxian yu chutu wenxian de lishi jufa yanjiu. [Studies on diachronic syntax based on transmitted and excavated texts] Beijing: Shangwu yinshuguan [Commercial Press]. Project leader of the ACI (03 3 26) Space and its representations in East Asia's languages (2003-2007), the ANR (ANR-06-BLAN0259) Quantification and Plurality (2006-2011), the ANR (ANR-12-BSH2-0004-01) Is there a correlation between languages and genes?-Studies in the Northwest area in China (2012 -2016).
Hui Li, Ph.D., Professor of Human Biology at Fudan University, vice dean of Asian Institute of Humanity and Nature at Macau, council member of Chinese Association of Anthropology and Ethnology, Chinese Society of Anthropology, NSFC Excellent Youth Foundation awardee, editor of several international academic journals. His major research interest is molecular anthropology, including the origin, evolution, and adaptation of East Asians, and the genetic effects of civilization emergence and development. He has published more than 200 papers in journals including Science and Nature. His books published include Y Chromosome and Diversification of East Asians, You Who Came From Apes, Ethnic History of Greater Canton, Pictorial Flora of Fudan, Dônđäc: a language with the largest vowel inventory in the world, Our Self-Identification, The Laureates Stories of Lifetime Achievement Awards in Anthropology, Tao Te Ching: restored ancient text. He has also translated books including My Beautiful Genome and Seven Daughters of Eve.
