History and Language in the Andes / Studies of the Americas (PDF)

Adrian J. Pearce is a Lecturer in Brazilian and Spanish-American History at King's College, London, UK.

"An illuminating set of readings that shines a bright light onto the cultural and social history of language use - both spoken and written - in the Andes, from the Spanish conquest of the Incas, through the turbulence of the Colonial era and down to the present day. The book succeeds by liberating the study of languages (primarily Quechua, Aymara, and Spanish) from the formalism of linguistics and the constraints of academic history. In the process, the authors show how the performance and interaction of Native and European languages played a vital, creative, and transformative role in the formation of the Andean nations." - Gary Urton, Dumbarton Oaks Professor of Pre-Columbian Studies, Harvard University, USA

"In bridging history, linguistics, and anthropology, this fine volume breaks new ground. It should now be unthinkable that scholars probe the impact of the Spanish Conquest, the legacy of the Incas, and the state of the contemporary Andes without considering language. The atomized fields of Andean Studies have finally converged, with Quechua at the center." - Charles Walker, University of California, USA

"This volume provides a long-awaited real dialogue between linguists and historians of the Andes. The collection's approach makes it clear that the study of history and the study of language complement each other, with each discipline illuminating the questions the other raises." - Rodolfo Cerrón-Palomino, professor of Linguistics, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

"Paul Heggarty and Adrian Pearce are to be applauded for bringing together linguists and (ethno)historians to help understand the complex multilingual dynamics of post-Conquest Andean society. In addition to their own expert contributions, there are papers by some of the best scholars in this fascinating field of inquiry." - Pieter Muysken, Radboud University Nijmegen

"This volume makes a strong case for cross-disciplinary cooperation in order to progress