R.L. Trask (1994-2004) was the highly regarded Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sussex. His numerous publications included Language: the Basics (1995) and A Dictionary of Phonetics and Phonology (1995).Peter Stockwell is Professor of Literary Linguistics at the University of Nottingham and the editor of the Routledge English Language Introductions Series.

Praise for first edition:'This is a brilliant book. It combines the readability of Pinker with the breadth and erudition of Crystal, and deserves a place of honour as a summary of the best of twentieth-century linguistics – liberal, scholarly, forward-looking, undogmatic, sensible, practical and above all wide-ranging. Every linguist will be pleased ... Every student of linguistics will cling to it and love it.' – Richard Hudson, University College London, UK

• List of Key Concepts (alphabetically arranged), List of Key Concepts (arranged by linguistic sub-discipline), Preface to the revised edition, The International Phonetic Alphabet, KEY CONCEPTS, Bibliography, Index

R.L. Trask (1994-2004) was the highly regarded Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sussex. His numerous publications included Language: the Basics (1995) and A Dictionary of Phonetics and Phonology (1995).Peter Stockwell is Professor of Literary Linguistics at the University of Nottingham and the editor of the Routledge English Language Introductions Series.

Praise for first edition:'This is a brilliant book. It combines the readability of Pinker with the breadth and erudition of Crystal, and deserves a place of honour as a summary of the best of twentieth-century linguistics – liberal, scholarly, forward-looking, undogmatic, sensible, practical and above all wide-ranging. Every linguist will be pleased ... Every student of linguistics will cling to it and love it.' – Richard Hudson, University College London, UK

• List of Key Concepts (alphabetically arranged), List of Key Concepts (arranged by linguistic sub-discipline), Preface to the revised edition, The International Phonetic Alphabet, KEY CONCEPTS, Bibliography, Index