Learning about Language – serie

Sociolinguistics is the study of the interaction between language and society. In this classic introductory work, Janet Holmes and Nick Wilson examine the role of language in a variety of social contexts, considering both how language works and how it can be used to signal and interpret various aspects of social identity. Divided into three parts, this book explains basic sociolinguistic concepts in the light of classic approaches, as well as introducing more recent research.This sixth edition has been revised and updated throughout, using key concepts and examples to guide the reader through this fascinating area, including:• New material on gender, social media and online use of language, codeswitching, and language policy• An updated companion website that is fully cross- referenced within this book and features video and audio materials and links to useful websites• Revised examples and exercises that include new material from Asia and South America• Fully updated further reading and references sectionsAn Introduction to Sociolinguistics is an essential introductory text for all students of sociolinguistics and a splendid point of reference for students of English language studies, linguistics, and applied linguistics.

This book provides a comprehensive account of the discipline of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and demonstrates multiple linguistic methods through which it exposes and demystifies ideologies that are present in institutional discourse. The book enables readers to critique the complexities of the relationship between language and power to expose the ideological operation of discourse. Proceeding from a theoretical grounding for CDA in contemporary society, the book comprises analysis of a wide range of discourse examples, including the news media, political speeches, public service leaflets and social media. Readers are guided through a diverse range of models in CDA in order to scrutinise and assess the role of language in society and to consider and challenge the principles of powerful networks, institutions and organisations.

This book provides a comprehensive account of the discipline of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and demonstrates multiple linguistic methods through which it exposes and demystifies ideologies that are present in institutional discourse. The book enables readers to critique the complexities of the relationship between language and power to expose the ideological operation of discourse. Proceeding from a theoretical grounding for CDA in contemporary society, the book comprises analysis of a wide range of discourse examples, including the news media, political speeches, public service leaflets and social media. Readers are guided through a diverse range of models in CDA in order to scrutinise and assess the role of language in society and to consider and challenge the principles of powerful networks, institutions and organisations.

The History of Late Modern Englishes provides an accessible and student-friendly introduction to the history of the English language from the beginning of the eighteenth century up until the present day. Taking an activity-based approach, this text ensures that students learn by engaging with the fascinating evolution of this language rather than by simply reading about it.The History of Late Modern Englishes:• Covers the development of Englishes around the world, not only in the British Isles, but also in the United States, Canada, India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Melanesia, as well as in other countries around the world where English is used as a lingua franca;• Accommodates the needs of both native and non-native speakers of English, with helpful features such as a glossary of key terms and questions to guide the reader through the book;• Includes activity sections and discussion points to help students engage with the text;• Is accompanied by e-resources which include further activities and additional coverage of points of interest in the book.Written by an experienced teacher and author, this book is an essential course textbook for any module on the history of English and the perfect accompaniment to the author’s own The History of Early English.

The History of Late Modern Englishes provides an accessible and student-friendly introduction to the history of the English language from the beginning of the eighteenth century up until the present day. Taking an activity-based approach, this text ensures that students learn by engaging with the fascinating evolution of this language rather than by simply reading about it.The History of Late Modern Englishes:• Covers the development of Englishes around the world, not only in the British Isles, but also in the United States, Canada, India, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Melanesia, as well as in other countries around the world where English is used as a lingua franca;• Accommodates the needs of both native and non-native speakers of English, with helpful features such as a glossary of key terms and questions to guide the reader through the book;• Includes activity sections and discussion points to help students engage with the text;• Is accompanied by e-resources which include further activities and additional coverage of points of interest in the book.Written by an experienced teacher and author, this book is an essential course textbook for any module on the history of English and the perfect accompaniment to the author’s own The History of Early English.

Sociolinguistics is the study of the interaction between language and society. In this classic introductory work, Janet Holmes and Nick Wilson examine the role of language in a variety of social contexts, considering both how language works and how it can be used to signal and interpret various aspects of social identity. Divided into three parts, this book explains basic sociolinguistic concepts in the light of classic approaches, as well as introducing more recent research.This sixth edition has been revised and updated throughout, using key concepts and examples to guide the reader through this fascinating area, including:• New material on gender, social media and online use of language, codeswitching, and language policy• An updated companion website that is fully cross- referenced within this book and features video and audio materials and links to useful websites• Revised examples and exercises that include new material from Asia and South America• Fully updated further reading and references sectionsAn Introduction to Sociolinguistics is an essential introductory text for all students of sociolinguistics and a splendid point of reference for students of English language studies, linguistics, and applied linguistics.

Introducing Linguistics brings together the work of scholars working at the cutting-edge of the field of linguistics, creating an accessible and wide-ranging introductory level textbook for newcomers to this area of study. The textbook: • Provides broad coverage of the field, comprising five key areas: language structures, mind and society, applications, methods, and issues; • Presents the latest research in an accessible way;• Incorporates examples from a wide variety of languages – from isiZulu to Washo – throughout; • Treats sign language in numerous chapters as yet another language, rather than a ‘special case’ confined to its own chapter;• Includes recommended readings and resource materials, and is supplemented by a companion website.This textbook goes beyond description and theory, giving weight to application and methodology. It is authored by a team of leading scholars from the world-renowned Lancaster University department, who have drawn on both their research and extensive classroom experience. Aimed at undergraduate students of linguistics, Introducing Linguistics is the ideal textbook to introduce students to the field of linguistics.

Introducing Linguistics brings together the work of scholars working at the cutting-edge of the field of linguistics, creating an accessible and wide-ranging introductory level textbook for newcomers to this area of study. The textbook: • Provides broad coverage of the field, comprising five key areas: language structures, mind and society, applications, methods, and issues; • Presents the latest research in an accessible way;• Incorporates examples from a wide variety of languages – from isiZulu to Washo – throughout; • Treats sign language in numerous chapters as yet another language, rather than a ‘special case’ confined to its own chapter;• Includes recommended readings and resource materials, and is supplemented by a companion website.This textbook goes beyond description and theory, giving weight to application and methodology. It is authored by a team of leading scholars from the world-renowned Lancaster University department, who have drawn on both their research and extensive classroom experience. Aimed at undergraduate students of linguistics, Introducing Linguistics is the ideal textbook to introduce students to the field of linguistics.

This textbook provides a practical introduction to the fields of forensic phonetics and forensic linguistics. Addressing how these fields are both distinct yet closely related, the book demonstrates how experts from both fields can work together to investigate and deliver justice in complex legal situations.With pedagogical features including real-life case studies, exercises, and links to further reading, topics covered include:Profiling from spoken and written textsDisputed meaning, and how meaning is made and evolvesInterviewing techniques, including working around those who might be considered linguistically vulnerableAuthor and speaker determinationAudio enhancement and authentication of recordingsLanguage analysis in the asylum procedure (LAAP)Accompanied by online audio and video resources as well as signposting readers to freely available software to aid their studies, this book is the ideal springboard for students beginning work in forensic phonetics, forensic speech science, forensic linguistics, and law and language.

This textbook provides a practical introduction to the fields of forensic phonetics and forensic linguistics. Addressing how these fields are both distinct yet closely related, the book demonstrates how experts from both fields can work together to investigate and deliver justice in complex legal situations.With pedagogical features including real-life case studies, exercises, and links to further reading, topics covered include:Profiling from spoken and written textsDisputed meaning, and how meaning is made and evolvesInterviewing techniques, including working around those who might be considered linguistically vulnerableAuthor and speaker determinationAudio enhancement and authentication of recordingsLanguage analysis in the asylum procedure (LAAP)Accompanied by online audio and video resources as well as signposting readers to freely available software to aid their studies, this book is the ideal springboard for students beginning work in forensic phonetics, forensic speech science, forensic linguistics, and law and language.

Analysing Sentences is an accessible and student-friendly introduction to the practical analysis of English sentence structure.The book covers key concepts such as constituency, category and functions, and uses tree diagrams throughout to help the reader visualise the structure of sentences. The fifth edition of this best-selling textbook has been thoroughly updated and revised to feature new material, new example sentences and a more reader-friendly layout. The final chapter sets the analysis in its theoretical context and includes an introduction to constituency in X-bar syntax. The book is also supported by an updated companion website featuring extra exercises for students and a complete set of answers for instructors for the online activities and exercises in the book.Accessible and clear, this book is the perfect textbook for readers coming to this topic for the first time. Featuring many in-text and end-of-chapter exercises, it is suitable for self-directed study as well as for use as core reading on introductory syntax courses.

Analysing Sentences is an accessible and student-friendly introduction to the practical analysis of English sentence structure.The book covers key concepts such as constituency, category and functions, and uses tree diagrams throughout to help the reader visualise the structure of sentences. The fifth edition of this best-selling textbook has been thoroughly updated and revised to feature new material, new example sentences and a more reader-friendly layout. The final chapter sets the analysis in its theoretical context and includes an introduction to constituency in X-bar syntax. The book is also supported by an updated companion website featuring extra exercises for students and a complete set of answers for instructors for the online activities and exercises in the book.Accessible and clear, this book is the perfect textbook for readers coming to this topic for the first time. Featuring many in-text and end-of-chapter exercises, it is suitable for self-directed study as well as for use as core reading on introductory syntax courses.

An exploration of the semantic approach to grammar. Topics covered in this work range from co-ordination and conjunction in combining propositions, to tense, aspect and modality in specifying states, events and actions.

Provides an understanding of the way meaning works in natural languages, against a background of how we communicate with language. Examples are chosen mainly from English to provide material for the wider discussion of the principles of the subject, but European, East Asian and other languages also provide illuminating examples.

Research into Natural Language Processing - the use of computers to process language - has developed over the last couple of decades into one of the most vigorous and interesting areas of current work on language and communication. This book introduces the subject through the discussion and development of various computer programs which illustrate some of the basic concepts and techniques in the field. The programming language used is Prolog, which is especially well-suited for Natural Language Processing and those with little or no background in computing.Following the general introduction, the first section of the book presents Prolog, and the following chapters illustrate how various Natural Language Processing programs may be written using this programming language. Since it is assumed that the reader has no previous experience in programming, great care is taken to provide a simple yet comprehensive introduction to Prolog. Due to the 'user friendly' nature of Prolog, simple yet effective programs may be written from an early stage. The reader is gradually introduced to various techniques for syntactic processing, ranging from Finite State Network recognisors to Chart parsers. An integral element of the book is the comprehensive set of exercises included in each chapter as a means of cementing the reader's understanding of each topic. Suggested answers are also provided.An Introduction to Natural Language Processing Through Prolog is an excellent introduction to the subject for students of linguistics and computer science, and will be especially useful for those with no background in the subject.

An introductory textbook on language acquisition, this volume explores the ideas of Universal Grammar and its role in language development. It aims to be more psycholinguistic than sociolinguistic although references are provided to allow students to expand their knowledge the latter.

Examines the ways language has changed in the twentieth century. It concentrates on standard English and takes a historical rather than sociolinguistic view of the changes which have occurred.

Exploring the Language of Poems, Plays and Prose examines how readers interact with literary works, how they understand and are moved by them. Mick Short considers how meanings and effects are generated in the three major literary genres, carying out stylistic analysis of poetry, drama and prose fiction in turn. He analyses a wide range of extracts from English literature, adopting an accessible approach to the analysis of literary texts which can be applied easily to other texts in English and in other languages.

First published in 1987. Most introductory textbooks in phonetics are designed to turn the people who use them into phoneticians. People who take phonetics courses, on the other hand, do not in general wish to become specialists, but rather need to know what the study of phonetics has to offer in some other field. This book is intended for those involved in any way with the study of the English language: for students of linguistics or literature, teachers of English, and those involved with the study of literacy, or the analysis of dis course or conversation.

This book is an introduction to phonological theory placed within the framework of recent mainstream generative phonology. The book is divided into two main parts. The first introduces readers to basic concepts of articulatory phonetics, classical phonemics and standard generative phonology. The second part is devoted to phonological theory. The nature and organisation of phonological representations in nonlinear generative phonology is also explored.

Meaning in Interaction: An Introduction to Pragmatics is a comprehensive introductory text which discusses the development of pragmatics - its aims and methodology - and also introduces themes that are not generally covered in other texts.Jenny Thomas focuses on the dynamic nature of speaker meaning, considering the central roles of both speaker and hearer, and takes into account the social and psychological factors involved in the generation and interpretation of utterances. The book includes a detailed examination of the development of Pragmatics as a discipline, drawing attention to problems encountered in earlier work, and brings the reader up to date with recent discussion in the field. The book is written principally for students with no previous knowledge of pragmatics, and the basic concepts are covered in considerable detail. Theoretical and more complicated information is highlighted with examples that have been drawn from the media, fiction and real-life interaction, and makes the study more accessible to newcomers. It is an ideal introductory textbook for students of linguistics and for all who are interested in analysing problems in communication.

An examination of the rise of the English dictionary, the kinds of dictionary available, the range of information they contain, factors affecting their usage and public attitudes towards them. The advantages of a thesaurus-like approach over the traditional format are discussed.

The 'story' of English is continually re-told and re-written, as more and more people use the language and have a part in shaping the way it develops. Varieties of Modern Englishprovides a critical introduction to the study of regional, social, gendered, context- and medium-related varieties of the language, and explores some of the debates concerning the role and impact of English in different parts of the world today.Beginning by outlining the main types of variation in language, the book focuses on the link between language or dialect and the construction of both group and individual identities. Issues of identity are crucial to chapters on the roots of Modern English, on gender and English, on ethnicity and English and on English as an international language. As well as looking at a range of 'users' of the language, Davies also explores many of its 'uses' and modes, including the English of literary texts, advertising, newspaper reporting and commentary, political speeches, email and text messaging.Written in a discursive, student-friendly style, the book also provides:* A rich mix of illustrative material* End-of-chapter Activities and related Comments at the end of the book* Suggestions for further reading Varieties of Modern English provides a thought-provoking overview of its subject and will be invaluable reading for students of English Language and Linguistics.

Phonetics is the scientific study of sounds used in language- how the sounds are produced, how they are transferred from the speaker to the hearer and how they are heard and perceived. The Sounds of Language provides an accessible, general introduction to phonetics with a special emphasis on English. Focusing on the phonetics of English, the first section allows students to get an overall view of the subject. Two standard accents of English are presented- RP (Received Pronunciation), the standard accent of England, and GA (General American), the standard accent throughout much of North America. The discussion is arranged so that students can read only the RP or GA portions, if desired. Sixteen additional accents of English spoken around the world are also covered to provide students with wider international coverage.The author then moves on to introduce acoustics phonetics in an accessible manner for those without a science background. The last section of the book provides a detailed discussion of all aspects of speech with extensive examples from languages around the world.Containing student-friendly features such as extensive exercises for practising the sounds covered in each chapter; a glossary of technical terms; instructions on how to write phonetic symbols; the latest International Phonetic Alphabet chart and a detailed list of English consonantal variants, The Sounds of Language provides an excellent introduction to phonetics to students of linguistics and speech pathology and students of English as a second language.

The Earliest English provides a student-friendly introduction to Old English and the earliest periods of the history of the English Language as it evolved before 1215. Using non-technical language, the book covers basic terminology, the linguistic and cultural backgrounds to the emergence and development of OE, and the OE vocabulary that students studying this phase of the English language need to know. In eight carefully structured units, the authors show how the vocabulary of Old English contains many items familiar to us today; how its characteristic poetic form is based on a beautiful and intricate simplicity; how its patterns of word building and inflectional structure are paralleled in several present day languages and how and why the English language and its literature continued to change so that by the mid-12th century the English language looks more like the 'English' that we are familiar with in the 21st century. Features of the book include:the provision of accessible guides to some important 'problem topics' of classical OEstimulating cross-linguistic comparisons, e.g. the pronoun system of OE as compared with the pronoun system of present day Dutchcleverly laid out translation exercises, with structural help in the form of selective glossariescareful division into eight units, designed for both classroom use and self-studyWritten in a clear and accessible manner, The Earliest English provides a comprehensive introduction to the evolution of Old English language and literature, and will be an invaluable textbook for students of English Language and Linguistics.

Learning About Language is an exciting and ambitious series of introductions to fundamental topics in language, linguistics and related areas. The books are designed for students of linguistics and those who are studying language as part of a wider course. An Introduction to Psycholinguistics examines the psychology of language as it relates to learning, mind and brain as well as to aspects of society and culture. How do we learn to speak and to understand speech? Is language unique to humans? Does language influence culture?Using non-technical language, and providing concrete examples, the authors explore: How children learn to speak and read their native languageDeaf language educationCase studies of wild children and animals and what we can learn from theseSecond language acquisition, second language teaching methods, and the problems associated with bilingualismLanguage and the brainThe relationship between thought and language In this new edition the authors propose a radical new theory of grammar – natural grammar – which unlike other theories can account for both speech comprehension and speech production.Also taking into account the extensive growth in theory, research and practice, this new edition is an accessible and focused introduction to the key issues and the latest research in the field of psycholinguistics.

Part of "Learning About Language" series, this edition provides an overview of Cognitive Linguistics. It explains the concepts of categorization, of prototype and gestalt perception, of basic level and conceptual hierarchies, of figure and ground, and of metaphor and metonymy. It also brings together issues such as iconicity and lexical change.

This accessible and inclusive new textbook introduces Child Language Acquisition (CLA), with unique coverage of bilingual and early second language development as well as first languages. The majority of children worldwide will grow up to be bi- or multilingual, and early second language acquisition is a very common experience for migrant children and those in more well-established ethnic minority communities across the world. The book explores the major stages of child language development below the age of five years, covering social context, early words, combining words, inflections and function words, complexity, and use of language, but also some of the major developments that take place post five years.Including recent developments in the area, this introduction:• Emphasises the interactive development of the component skills involved in language and the wider skills on which language depends• Incorporates bilingual language development throughout, covering both two first languages and early naturalistic second language acquisition• Takes a crosslinguistic and cross-cultural approach, considering the role of input and child directed speech in the light of recent debate about links between socio-economic status and CLA and supposed ‘deficient’ language-learning environments for some groups of childrenSupported with examples taken from child language data and experimental studies, as well as exercises and activities, this student-friendly text is an essential course textbook for any module on child language acquisition.

This accessible and inclusive new textbook introduces Child Language Acquisition (CLA), with unique coverage of bilingual and early second language development as well as first languages. The majority of children worldwide will grow up to be bi- or multilingual, and early second language acquisition is a very common experience for migrant children and those in more well-established ethnic minority communities across the world. The book explores the major stages of child language development below the age of five years, covering social context, early words, combining words, inflections and function words, complexity, and use of language, but also some of the major developments that take place post five years.Including recent developments in the area, this introduction:• Emphasises the interactive development of the component skills involved in language and the wider skills on which language depends• Incorporates bilingual language development throughout, covering both two first languages and early naturalistic second language acquisition• Takes a crosslinguistic and cross-cultural approach, considering the role of input and child directed speech in the light of recent debate about links between socio-economic status and CLA and supposed ‘deficient’ language-learning environments for some groups of childrenSupported with examples taken from child language data and experimental studies, as well as exercises and activities, this student-friendly text is an essential course textbook for any module on child language acquisition.