The Language Web: The Power and Problem of Words - The 1996 BBC Reith Lectures

by Jean Aitchison

Language is like a vast interconnected spider's web. In this volume Jean Aitchison explores the different facets of this web, ranging from its biological nature and the way in which language is acquired by children to the way the web has aided language evolution. This is the text of the 1996 BBC Reith lectures, with the addition of illustrations, suggestions for further reading and notes. An Afterword looks at the reception of the lectures.

Genres: Nonfiction, Linguistics

156 pages, Paperback

First published November 21, 1996

About the author

Jean Aitchison is a Professor of Language and Communication in the Faculty of English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford.

Her main areas of interest include:

Socio-historical linguistics
Language and mind
Language and the media

Reviews

[Olivia Sussex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serves as an easy to read introduction to linguistics, as well as a valuable A-level resource.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend reading this series of lectures to the individual who has not done much study in linguistics and who does not know if s/he wants to begin studying the subject -- this series of lectures necessarily does not supply enough information for those readers who have already begun their study of linguistics. The Language Web provides a cogent, lucid introduction to linguistics.

Kudos to Aitchison for her ability to bring language to the forefront of the media!