Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery

Subject Guides - Modern Language & Linguistics

Online Catalogs

These resources will provide access to book titles held in libraries throughout the United States

• WorldCat

  Records of any type of material cataloged by OCLC member libraries. Includes manuscripts written as early as the 12th century.

Dissertations

These resources will provide access to dissertations from 1861 to present,including those submitted at UMBC

• Dissertation Abstracts (Proquest Digital Dissertations)

  Indexes U.S., Canadian, British, and other European dissertations and theses; dissertations abstracted since 1980, theses abstracted since 1988. Full Dissertations published since 1997 (1991 from UMBC) are available in PDF digital format.

• UMBC Dissertations & Theses

  Find Masters' degree theses and PhD dissertations submitted by UMBC doctoral candidates.

top of page

Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Handbooks

These resources will provide background and definitions to topics, aspects and terms in the area of language and lingustics

• Hughes, Alex and Keith Reader, editors. Encyclopedia of Contemporary French Culture, 1998.

  [REF DC33.7.E53 1998]
  This work of essay texts, both short and long include art, cinema, economic issues, education, food and wine, intellectual life, linguistic issues, literature, media, music, performing arts, politics and society, transport and technology. This analysis ranges from the end of World War II (some material pre-dates 1945) to present day. Further readings are provided with some annotations of materials to be found elsewhere. Articles are cross-referenced.

• Sandford, John, editor. Encyclopedia of Contemporary German Culture, 1999.

  [REF DD290.26.E53 1999]
  This work of articles on both high and canonical culture which extend the purview to popular culture to symbolic practice and production that identifies the German-speaking peoples. While the coverage is from 1945 to present, entries include coverage that is prior to the end of World War II in order to make clear contemporary topics and the influence of that time on the now presentation of topics under discussion. The GDR, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland is covered. Bibliography provides additional sources of information on the signed articles. Terms, people and places noted in the articles are highlighted as a 'see reference' for elsewhere in the work of alphabetical entries. A thematic entry list is presented at the beginning of the work which notes the entries under that topic, and is complimented by an index of terms at the end the work with highlighted page entries where the subject is covered in depth.

• Rodgers, Eamonn, editor. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture, 1999.

  [REF DP233.T.E63 1999]
  The time frame covered in this work is from 1939 to present. Catalan, Galacian and Basque languages and culture are covered as well as those of Spain. Entries are included for architecture, cinema, the economy, education, fashion food and dirnk, gay culture, intellectual life, language, literature, the media, music, politics, religion, society, sport and youth culture. Cross references and see also references are provided to these signed articles along with a bibliography for further reading.

• Chabran, Richard and Rafael Chabran, editors. The Latino Encyclopedia, 1999.

  [REF E184.S75 L357 1999]
  This work of the Latino culture includes essential information about the Latino experience in the United States. Included is a strong effort to avoid biased language in discussing people, organizations, geographic locations, history, entertainment, military activity, religion, family life, court cases, cultural movements, facets of life in America. Each volume includes an alphabetical entry of topics covered along with the last volume noting Latino publications and media and a time-line of important Latino events. Two bibliographies are included for further reading.

• Crystal, David. Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, 1997.

  [REF P29.C64 1997]
  This one volume encyclopedia contains lengthy explanations of terminology, problems, cultural and social aspects of language. Divided into eleven sections, such overarching topics as language and identity, the medium of language, language brain and handicap, the structure of language, child language acquisition, language and communication are explained and narrated upon using non-specialized terms coupled with color diagrams and pictures. An index of languages, families, dialects and scripts is presented at end of this work as well as a table of languages.

• Crystal, David. Dictionary of Lingustics and Phonetics, 2003.

  [REF P29.C65 2003]
  Terms used in discussing linguistics and phoenics are noted in this work with see references embedded into the text for further explanation. A list of symbols used in linguistics, their name, the gloss and relevant entry is presented along with an a diagrammatic chart for the international phoenic alphabet.

• Frawley, William J, editor. International Encyclopedia of Linguistics, 2003.

  [REF P29,I.58 2003]
  This multivolume set carries signed entries on terminology, concepts, ideas, movements applicable to the scholar study of linguistics world wide with a bibliography for further reading. Where alternative terms used which are not preferred, see references provide synonyms for entries elsewhere. See also references are given. This is a very useful work for listing languages spoken in a particular geographic area coupled with an estimate of the number of remaining speakers of that language.

• Malmkjaer, Kirsten, editor. Linguistic Encyclopedia, 2002.

  [REF P29.L52 2002]
  Major areas in the study of linguistics are provided at the beginning of this work which has various lengths to signed articles. A bibliography of suggestions for further readings is provided following each entry with a full bibliography of authors names presented at the end of the book. Diagrams, charts and drawings accompany this work in providing visualization of matter referred to in the text.

• Matthews, P.H.. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics, 1997.

  [REF P29.M34 1997]
  This one volume encyclopedia contains lengthy explanations of terminology, problems, cultural and social aspects of language. Divided into eleven sections, such overarching topics as language and identity, the medium of language, language brain and handicap, the structure of language, child language acquisition, language and communication are explained and narrated upon using non-specialized terms coupled with color diagrams and pictures. An index of languages, families, dialects and scripts is presented at end of this work as well as a table of languages.

• Johnson, Keith and Helen Johnson, editors. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Applied Linguistics: a handbook for language teaching, 1998.

  [REF P129.E53 1998]
  Useful as it relates to second and foreign language education. Three areas are covered: language, language learning and language teaching. Cross-referencing is used both in text with capital letters, and via the comprehensive index. Most entries have a bibliography with a break out list of those considered most important.

• Simpson, J.A., and E.S.C. Weiner, preparers. Oxford English Dictionary, 1989.

  [REF PE1625.O87 1989]
  This is an alphabetical series of words that have formed the English vocabulary from the time of the earliest records down to the present day, with all the relevant facts concerning their form, sense-history, pronunciation, and etymology. It embraces not only the standard language of literature and conversation, whether current at the moment, or obsolete, or archaic, but also the main technical vocabulary, and a large measure of dialectal usage and slang.

• Oxford English Dictionary Online

top of page

Indexes and Abstracts

These resources will provide access to scholarly journal articles, some of which will be full-text

• America: History & Life

  America: History and Life (AHL) indexes the historical literature on North America and Canda.

• ArticleFirst

  Indexes journals in science, technology, medicine, social science, business, the humanities, and popular culture.

• Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO)

  A comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs. Includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, proceedings and journal articles.

• Contemporary Women's Issues (CWI)

  CWI provides full text access to global information on women. Includes journals, newsletters, research reports from non-profit groups, government and international agencies, and fact sheets.

• Etymology of First Names

  Origins of common first names in many languages. Includes 50 most popular names.

• Humanities International Complete (Ebsco)

  Humanities International Index is a comprehensive database covering journals, books and other reference sources in the humanities. The database contains bibliographic records from a multitude of U.S. and international journals, books and reference works.

• JSTOR

  Electronic archive of selected core journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Includes full-text of all articles published prior to the most current five years. UMBC subscribes to Arts & Science I, II, III, General Science, Ecology & Botany.

• Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA)

  Indexes/Abstracts articles on the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Also includes comprehensive coverage of descriptive, historical, comparative, theoretical and geographical linguistics.

• MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association - Ebsco)

  Indexes 4,000+ journals in the areas of literature, language and linguistics, folklore, literary theory & criticism, rhetoric, dramatic arts, printing and publishing.

• PAIS - Public Affairs Information Service

  Indexes journals, books, and government documents in the fields of political science, policy, public administration, society. Includes backfile in July 05 through June 06.

• Worldwide Political Science Abstracts

  Provides citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international literature in political science and its complementary fields, including international relations and public administration / policy.

top of page

Multidisciplinary Databases

These resources will provide access to articles in both scholarly and popular journals and magazines as well as sources available in the Library

• Academic Search Premier (Ebsco)

  Provides full-text for over 3,400 scholarly journals covering the social sciences, humanities, education, sciences, and more. Funded by the Maryland Digital Library (MDL).

• LexisNexis Academic

  Search for news, legislation, business information. Features full text of many newspapers. Includes Federal & State case law, biography, country & state profiles, almanac, medical reference, quotations, polls & surveys, radio and TV transcripts.

top of page

Census Material

These resources will provide methods and access to census materials.

• American Factfinder

  Access data from the 1990 Decennial Census, the 1997 Economic Census, the American Community Survey, and Census 2000 data as they become available. American FactFinder is a service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

• Finding Census Materials

  Links to glossary of geographic concepts, local census tract materials locations, historical US Census data, U.S. Gazetteer, and the 1990 Census Lookup.

top of page

Government Documents, Legal Resources and Statistics

These resources provide access to federal and state government documents, legal resources, and statistical resources.

• Government Document Search

  Search the US Budget, Congressional documents, Economic Indicators, Economic Report of the President, Federal Register, GAO documents, Public Laws, United States Code, and others. GPO Access.

• GPO Monthly Catalog (MOCAT)

  Indexes government publications issued by the Government Printing Office since July 1976.

• LexisNexis Congressional

  Find congressional publications, legislative histories (1970-present), and track bills. Contains the US Code, voting records, full-text of congressional documents and the Congressional Record, plus the Federal Register (1980 - present) and the CFR.

• LexisNexis Statistical

  Includes these major statistical publications: ASI, SRI and IIS; Abstracts and indexes federal, international, state and privately published statistics; some hypertext links to agency Websites with full-text of the publication.

top of page

Country Information

• Background Notes
  U.s. Department of State
  
  

  Country Profiles from Lexis/Nexis:

  Country Studies

  Federal Research Division

  
  

  World Factbook

  Gov Docs PREX 3.15

  See also: World Fact Book
  
  

top of page

Professional WebsitesOrganizations

These sites may help you in your research

• Linguistics from Galaxy

• Linguistics from Yahoo

• Linguistics and Language

  From Western Connecticut State University.

• Scholarly Societies Web Site on Linguistics

  From University of Waterloo Libraries.

• University of Virginia Electronic Text Center

  Web sites available to all in twelve langugaes; other sites available only to UV personnel.