Introduction

This introduction outlines the chapters included in the present volume and places their contributions in the more general discussion on the grammar of body-part expressions. It underlines the substantial significance in this context of Amerindian languages, indicating that the extensive coverage and new insights detailed here willcontributing to the understanding of the nature of body-part expressions in the Americas. It also offers a detailed list of the languages discussed in the following chapters along with two maps illustrating their approximate locations.