Encyclopedia of Chinese Language and Linguistics

The Encyclopedia of Chinese Language and Linguistics is a groundbreaking five-volume work that will serve for years to come as the standard reference work in the field of Chinese linguistics. AL&L Associate Professor Zev Handel is one of five associate editors who shepherded the six-year project to completion. Published in January 2017 by Brill, the encyclopedia boasts over 500 articles by scholars from all over the globe on every aspect of the languages of China across time and space. Among the more unusual topics covered are Chinese typewriters, the global history of the word for 'tea', and the Chinese zodiac. Handel himself authored nine articles, including "Zodiac", "Chinese Loanwords in English", and "Dialect Diversification, Major Trends". AL&L Professor William G. Boltz was also a major author, contributing eight articles, among them "Origin of the Chinese Writing System" and "Ideographic Fallacy".

Numerous other faculty, graduates, and current students associated with the department contributed articles. They include the late Professor Jerry Norman (1936-2012), Adjunct Associate Professor Edith Aldridge, W. South Coblin (PhD 1972), Ken-ichi Takashima (PhD 1973), Stephen Wadley (PhD 1991), Richard VanNess Simmons (PhD 1992), Keith Dede (PhD 1999), Andy Chin (PhD 2009), Haeree Park (PhD 2009), Marco Caboara (PhD 2011), Ed Lien (PhD 2011), Jung-Im Chang (PhD 2012), and current PhD student Hongzhi Wang. Current PhD student Yingying Sun made a crucial contribution by translating a number of articles written in Chinese for publication in English. In addition, Professor and Divisional Dean of Humanities Michael C. Shapiro served on the advisory board for the project.

The Department is proud to have had a significant role in the production of this milestone work, which is available in both electronic and hardcopy form.