(2) a language index with 101 language names (…) ; (3) a list of references; and (4) an index of slightly over three pages. Chapter 1, Introduction, provides an exceptionally clear sketch of why systematic similarities exist between some languages, as well as a useful discussion of the social valuation of linguistic variation and of language planning. (…) Chapter 2, Types of sound change, has two broad purposes: to familiarize the beginning student with common types of sound change, and to reduce the exuberant diversity of attested sound changes to an orderly classification into basic types. On the whole, this is a well-constructed chapter that presents more detail in a clearer form than many older texts. (…) Chapter 3, Expressing sound changes, introduces some common formalisms for stating sound changes, particularly conditioned sound changes. It is a short, but useful chapter, (…). Chapter 4, Phonetic vs. phonemic change, is an excellent introduction to the classification of types of sound change, distinctly superior to the discussions in most other texts. (…) Chapter 5, The comparative method, provides a solid, hands-on introduction to linguistic reconstruction through a comparison of four Polynesian languages. (…) In summary, [this is - ND] an excellent book in need of further revision.’ (ROBERT BLUST in Oceanic Linguistics, 1996, pp.328-335). From the library of the late Prof. Dr. Ludo De Lannoy.