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Linguistics

Articles

Finding scholarly articles in linguistics

The main database used in the discipline of linguistics is Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA). Another database dedicated to linguistics is the Modern Language Association International Bibliography (MLAIB), which also covers literature and folklore.

Tips for Finding Linguistics Articles

Find articles about a language: Use alternate names or spellings for the language; also consider the prominence of particular dialects (e.g. Brazilian Portuguese; Mandarin; Lushootseed vs. Coast Salish; etc.). Languages less prominent in the literature may not have stand-alone articles written about them, but may be treated in articles about a particular language family or geographical region.

Find articles by a linguist: When searching the linguist's name, select "author" (or equivalent) from the drop-down menu. Tip: For contemporary linguists, professional/academic CVs containing lists of all or selected publications can often be found by doing a web search containing the linguist's name and the term CV or curriculum vitae.

Find articles about a linguist: When searching the linguist's name, select "subject" (or equivalent) from the drop-down menu.

Find a review of a linguist's book: Many databases have an option to filter by document type that has "book review" as an option. Select this option and then search by the title of the book and/or the name of the linguist.

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