Inside Language - Hardcover

Cook, Vivian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0340692707 ISBN 13: 9780340692707

Publisher: Routledge, 1997

Synopsis

What makes human language unique? How did language begin? This book is a wide-ranging and stimulating introduction to language which students and general readers alike will read for enjoyment as well as instruction. It explores the most intriguing questions about the nature of human language, drawing on basic insights that have been developed by linguistics this century.



The author introduces the reader to the study of language through chapters on grammar, sounds, writing and words, emphasising these as systems within the overall system of language. Later chapters look at the stages by which children learn language and the theories that explain their rapid progress, at what can go wrong with speech in childhood and maturity, and at how speakers of a language show their different origins and class. The text is liberally illustrated with fascinating examples, mostly from everyday life, from sources as wide ranging as political speeches and T-shirt slogans and examples are taken from an extremely wide range of languages, in particular English, French, Japanese, German, Spanish and Korean.

About this title

Review

..".a valuable resource for teachers and students."--Studies in Second Language Acquisition ."..a valuable resource for teachers and students."--Studies in Second Language Acquisition .,."a valuable resource for teachers and students."--Studies in Second Language Acquisition ., ."a valuable resource for teachers and students."--Studies in Second Language Acquisition , .."a valuable resource for teachers and students."--Studies in Second Language Acquisition .,."a valuable resource for teachers and students."--Studies in Second Language Acquisition ..."a valuable resource for teachers and students."--Studies in Second Language Acquisition

Synopsis

A wide-ranging introduction to language that explores questions about the nature of human language. The author introduces the reader to the study of language through chapters on grammar, sounds, writing and words, emphasizing these as systems within the overall system of language. Later chapters look at the stages through which children learn language and the theories that explain their rapid progress; what can go wrong with speech in childhood and maturity and how speakers of a language show their different origins and class. The text is illustrated with examples, mostly from everyday life, from sources such as political speeches and T-shirt slogans. Examples are taken from a variety of languages, in particular English, French, Japanese, German, Spanish and Korean.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0340692707
• ISBN 13: 9780340692707
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304