Synopsis:
"Understanding Language" is an introduction to linguistics aimed at non-major undergraduate students who are new to the subject. The book is comprehensive in its coverage of the key areas of linguistics, yet explains these in an easy to understand, jargon-free way. Pictures, jokes, diagrams, tables and suggestions for further reading make this an accessible, student-friendly guide which should enable students to navigate this often complicated area of study. Topics covered include language acquisition; speech sounds; the make-up of words; grammar; meaning; communication; the history of English; language variation and change. This is an essential introduction for students who are taking linguistics at university, whether as their core subject of study, as a non-major or as a bridge between school and undergraduate.
Review:
"This book is a beautifully organized, clear and readable introduction to the field of linguistics. The writing is lively and interesting, while at the same time presenting complex and often technical ideas in a manner that's both accurate and accessible. Students brand new to the discipline will enjoy reading this book, and linguists who teach introductory courses will benefit from its clear and direct explanations." --Sanford Lakoff "Understanding Language is a very good book for students beginning the study of general linguistics. It assumes no previous knowledge of linguistics and introduces basic concepts and technical terms gradually, explaining and discussing them in a very accessible way. The exercises offered are interesting and give students the opportunity to consolidate and practise the theory and skills introduced. I particularly like the fact that it is suitable for both classroom use and self-study."--Sanford Lakoff "Writing in an accessible style, she covers the primary areas of linguistic study-phonetics, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics-and in this her book is comparable to such established classroom texts...This is one of those textbooks that may be as useful in the library as in the classroom; it would be a reasonable resource for those looking for a basic, concise overview. Summing Up: Recommended"--Sanford Lakoff "This excellent primer in linguistics covers a broad range of topics relating to language structure and language use as well as the basic constituents of human language... the book is written clearly and accessibly throughout, with numerous helpful examples and illustrations. It offers students new to the field a lively, informed introduction to linguistics." --Sanford Lakoff "In summary, this book is well-suited for students and everyone else who wants to learn about the basic structure of language. It is also very useful for instructors, who will be able to find many examples and ideas of how to introduce and explain complex topics. It is excellent for introductory purposes." --Sanford Lakoff
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