How Languages Work

by Carol Genetti

Language is a sophisticated tool which we use to communicate in a multitude of ways. Updated and expanded in its second edition, this book introduces language and linguistics - presenting language in all its amazing complexity while systematically guiding you through the basics. The reader will emerge with an appreciation of the diversity of the world's languages, as well as a deeper understanding of the structure of human language, the ways it is used, and its broader social and cultural context. Part I is devoted to the nuts and bolts of language study - speech sounds, sound patterns, sentence structure, and meaning - and includes chapters dedicated to the functional aspects of language: discourse, prosody, pragmatics, and language contact. The fourteen language profiles included in Part II reveal the world's linguistic variety while expanding on the similarities and differences between languages. Using knowledge gained from Part I, the reader can explore how language functions when speakers use it in daily interaction. With a step-by-step approach that is reinforced with well-chosen illustrations, case studies, and study questions, readers will gain understanding and analytical skills that will only enrich their ongoing study of language and linguistics.

Genres: Linguistics, Language, Nonfiction, Grad School, Textbooks

708 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2014

Reviews

[Casper]

Good starter on Linguistics. Though the 2nd half just looks at some languages and wasn't that nice to read through.

[Chris Butler]

The score is mostly based on the class, I don't know how this book holds up to other linguistics textbooks.

[Marie]

Linguistics is great, however this text book can be complicated to understand even when you have 3 hours of classes a week explaining it's content!