Modern schools of linguistic thought : a crash course “Zeki Hamawand’s textbook offers a reliable and wide ranging introduction to western linguistics. Its well structured chapters cover the principal debates and personalities using an English style that is clear and appropriate for beginners. The book also encompasses the subject’s interdisciplinary relations with other sciences as well as the major methodologies and applications and whets the reader’s appetite for further explorations of the faculty of language a distinctive characteristic of humankind.” J. Lachlan Mackenzie Emeritus Professor of Functional Linguistics Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands Hamawand is to be applauded for his common sense and straightforward approach to describing the different schools of thought concerning language and the different areas of investigation within linguistics that one might encounter. He has produced a valuable survey that offers a useful overview of the field to both students and professionals alike. I like this book! Brian D. Joseph The Ohio State University USA This textbook provides a clear and concise overview of the main schools of linguistic thought and scholarship from the late 18th century to the present day examining the key tenets and leading figures of each approach and assessing their impact on the field. Combining theory with practice the author aims to familiarise students with the mechanisms used in analysing language structures to acquaint them with the history of the discipline and to demonstrate how different sometimes competing approaches can be combined to understand language and linguistics today. Written in an engaging and accessible manner this textbook is an ideal primer for new students of linguistics at any level as well as more experienced researchers seeking to understand the history of their field or the arguments and theories of other sub disciplines. Zeki Hamawand is Professor of English Linguistics at the University of Kirkuk and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sulaimani Iraq. . Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Theoretical Paradigms Chapter 3: Grammatical Models Chapter 4: Interdisciplinary Fields Chapter 5: Practical Applications Chapter 6: Technical Methods Chapter 7: Conclusion.