In part I of this volume experts on various language areas provide surveys of word stress
accent systems of as many languages in 'their' part of the world as they could lay their hands
on. No preconditions (theoretical or otherwise) were set but the authors were encouraged to
use the StressTyp data in their chapters. Australian Languages (Rob Goedemans) Austronesian
Languages (Ellen van Zanten Ruben Stoel and Bert Remijsen) Papuan Languages (Ellen van Zanten
and Philomena Dol) North American Languages (Keren Rice) South American Languages (Sergio
Meira and Leo Wetzels) African Languages (Laura Downing) European Languages (Harry van der
Hulst) Asian Languages (Harry van der Hulst and René Schiering) Middle Eastern Languages
(Harry van der Hulst and Sam Hellmuth).There is an introductory chapter (Chapter 1) that will
provide the reader with elementary terminology and theoretical tools to understand the variety
of accentual systems that will be discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. Chapter 2
has a double function. It presents an overview of stress patterns in Australian languages but
at the same time it is intended to (re-)familiarize readers with the coding terminology and
theoretical ideas of the StressTyp database. Chapter 11 presents statistical and typological
information from the StressTyp database. Part II of this volume contains 'language profiles'
which are for each of the 511 languages contained in StressTyp (in 2009) extracts from the
information that is contained in the database. This volume will be of interest to people in the
field of theoretical phonology and language typology. It will function as a reference work for
these groups of researchers but also more generally for people working on syntax and other
fields of linguistics who might wish to know certain basic facts about the distribution of
word accent systems
