This book provides a lively introduction to the study of language for students without prior experience in linguistics. It addresses the core areas of language study answering questions such as: * Where does language come from? * Why dont we all talk the same? * Who needs grammar This is an excellent textbook for basic introductory courses and for students who are non-majors. It will be accessible and enjoyable for a variety of students. This book provides a lively introduction to the study of language for students without prior experience in linguistics. It addresses the core areas of language study answering questions such as: * Where does language come from? * Why dont we all talk the same? * Who needs grammar This is an excellent textbook for basic introductory courses and for students who are non-majors. It will be accessible and enjoyable for a variety of students.
Daugiau informacijos
'Immensely informative and enjoyable.' - Ian Hancock, Professor of Linguistics, University of Texas at Austin, USA 'An excellent resource.' - April McMahon, Professor of English Language, University of Edinburgh, UK
| List of Boxes |
|
viii | |
| List of Figures |
|
ix | |
| List of Tables |
|
x | |
| Preface |
|
xi | |
| Acknowledgements |
|
xii | |
| Introduction |
|
1 | (6) |
| Part I Origin and Development of Language |
|
|
1 Where Does Language Come From? |
|
|
7 | (11) |
|
2 Why Don't We All Talk the Same? |
|
|
18 | (8) |
|
3 Things Ain't What They Used to Be |
|
|
26 | (10) |
|
|
|
36 | (13) |
|
5 Bee Talk and Monkey Chatter |
|
|
49 | (12) |
| Part II Language Structures |
|
|
6 How Do You Spell Accommodation? |
|
|
61 | (11) |
|
7 How Many Words Do the Eskimos Use? |
|
|
72 | (10) |
|
8 Going On and On: the Never-ending Story |
|
|
82 | (10) |
|
|
|
92 | (10) |
|
|
|
102 | (10) |
|
|
|
112 | (13) |
| Part III Language and Society |
|
|
12 How Do We Lose Languages and Does It Matter? |
|
|
125 | (10) |
|
13 What Shall I Call You? |
|
|
135 | (11) |
|
14 Do Women and Men Speak Differently? |
|
|
146 | (11) |
|
15 Sexist Language and Linguistic Sexism |
|
|
157 | (12) |
|
16 What Language Do You Use to Your Grandmother? |
|
|
169 | (11) |
|
17 Why Can't People in Birmingham Talk Right? |
|
|
180 | (13) |
| Part IV Language, Brain and Mind |
|
|
|
|
193 | (10) |
|
19 Does Bilingualism Rot the Brain? |
|
|
203 | (10) |
|
20 Building Another Tongue |
|
|
213 | (9) |
|
21 You've Tasted the Whole Worm |
|
|
222 | (9) |
|
22 Is Language a Strait-jacket? |
|
|
231 | (10) |
|
23 When Language Breaks Down |
|
|
241 | (9) |
| Conclusion: Who Cares about Language? |
|
250 | (9) |
| Language Index |
|
259 | (3) |
| General Index |
|
262 | |
LAURIE BAUER is Professor in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He is on the editorial board of Linguistics and the Yearbook of Morphology. His publications include Language Myths (with Peter Trudgill, Penguin, 1998), Morphological Productivity (Cambridge, 2001), Introducing Linguistic Morphology 2e (EUP 2003) and An Introduction to International Varieties of English (EUP 2002).
JANET HOLMES is Professor in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. She is on the editorial boards of eleven learned journals, including Language in Society and Discourse and Society. Her publications include Introduction to Sociolinguistics 2e (Longman, 2001) and Women, Men and Politeness (Longman, 1995).
PAUL WARREN is Associate Professor in the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He teaches in a wide range of areas of Linguistics, and has research interests in psycholinguistics and experimental phonetics.
