Language in Thought and Action: Fifth Edition

by Robert MacNeil (Introduction), S.I. Hayakawa, Alan R. Hayakawa

In an era when communication has become increasingly diverse and complex, this classic work on semantics—now fully revised and updated—distills the relationship between language and those who use it. Renowned professor and former U.S. Senator S. I. Hayakawa discusses the role of language in human life, the many functions of language, and how language—sometimes without our knowing—shapes our thinking in this engaging and highly respected book. Provocative and erudite, it examines the relationship between language and racial and religious prejudice; the nature and dangers of advertising from a linguistic point of view; and, in an additional chapter called “The Empty Eye,” the content, form, and hidden message of television, from situation comedies to news coverage to political advertising.

704 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 2023

Reviews

[Charles McGonigal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good starting text for a high school or college course, but the Internet and even moreso the last political decade have moved communication way beyond the polite exchanges envisioned by Mr. Hayakawa. Even for the 1990 timeframe of this edition, it was snobbish, looking down on popular entertainment and ignoring real, vital political problems that were smoothed over with unfaithful words. There's some good ideas in here, but I can't imagine there aren't better packages that also convey them.

[Elvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. The title is misleading because the book is only 50% about the language other 50% are authors observations (that have nothing to do with language) and his "solutions" to the worlds problems.
2. Author makes a claim - "Two valued world is bad..." and yet, when he makes his own judgments and offers his own solutions to the worlds problems, he makes the same mistake. Oversimplifies the world and solutions making them on the basis of two values.
3. Illustrations are horrible and only waste the space for potential text.
4. The print is small and some random lines have even smaller size.
Overall 6.5/10 book, even tho the premises at the beginning of the book and the title are misleading, I enjoyed some of the authors observations.

[Amy Kapel · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Pretty standard and self explanatory. There were some interesting points but to me it felt redundant and repetitive.