Most studies on Tajik have been accessible exclusively through Tajik and Russian. As a result, Tajik linguistics is underrepresented in Western scholarship. This volume aims to remedy this situation by putting together chapters written by leading Tajik linguists, showcasing the best of Tajik linguistics that has so far been largely concealed from view outside Tajikistan. The volume comprises over a dozen chapters that are grouped into five parts. Part one Standardization describes, from a Tajik perspective, the historical process whereby Tajik became what it is today: the ‘state language’ of Tajikistan. Part two Structure provides an overview of the structure of Tajik as it has been analysed within the tradition of Tajik linguistics. Part three Lexis deals with the lexicon of Tajik and a few of its specific components from the viewpoints of terminology, lexicography, and onomastics. Part four Variation takes up linguistic variation and comprises comprehensive surveys of Tajik sociolinguistics and dialectology. The two chapters in Part five Language contact describe cases of language contact and dialect contact. The volume thus represents the state of the art of Tajik linguistics and can be used as a comprehensive guide for linguists interested in the language. weiterlesen