Chinese: an essential grammar

London & New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2006. — xiv, 242 p. (includes index) — ISBN 0-203 -96979-0 (ebk)This new edition of Chinese: an essential grammar is an up-to-date and concise reference guide to modern Chinese (Mandarin) grammar. Refreshingly jargon free, it presents an accessible description of the language, focusing on the real patterns of use today. This book aims to identify the basic features of the grammar of Mandarin Chinese. It should therefore be of use not only to students and teachers of Chinese, but also to those with a general interest in languages and linguistics. While we hope our analysis is based on sound linguistic principles, we have endeavoured to keep technical terminology to a minimum to allow as wide a readership as possible access to the material. Where it has been necessary to use specialist terminology, we have offered explanations which we hope will be intelligible to the general reader. A ‘Glossary of grammatical terms’ is also included (pp. 226–229) for reference.