The Language of Language: A Linguistics Course for Starters
The Language of Language' provides a careful selection of important topics in linguistic inquiry and gives a clear overview of each. And, what must have been a difficult feat indeed, the ideas are presented in a way that is always interesting and frequently amusing. ... It is the ideal course book to choose in countries where either one finds several varieties of English spoken or where students are learning English as a second or foreign language, as is true in much of Asia. --Dr Gloria Poedjosoedarmo, Independent Scholar, SingaporeThis text offers a clear explanation of the core concepts of linguistics and would be an appropriate choice as a text for an introductory linguistics class. The volume provides a solid base on which the student can build by taking more advanced courses in linguistics --Dr Amy Thompson, Michigan State UniversityI find the approach taken by the authors quite refreshing. It is different from other introductory textbooks because the aim of the book, as stated in the preface, is not to be comprehensive but to encourage "informed thinking about issues relating to language and structure ...and the kinds of activities that linguists busy themselves with". The authors have presented the chapter on semantics, for instance, in an interesting and entertaining way that is at once quite challenging to the linguistics student. --Dr. Hajar Abdul Rahim, Universiti Sains MalayaInformative, current, thought-provoking, and reader-friendly. I would encourage my students to buy this book as the language is accessible, and difficult concepts are clearly explained and exemplified. The chapter on discourse is much more comprehensive than in other books as it takes into account current ideas in the study of discourse. It also attempts to establish the important link between real-world knowledge and linguistic knowledge. --Dr. Shakila Manan, Universiti Sains MalayaThe main strengths of this book are its attempts to cut out a lot of information that finds its way into books like this and give what the authors consider essential without filling up the book with more advanced information. I very much like the attempt to use discovery as a method for teaching phonetics. It's what most of us try to do in class, but I've almost never seen an introductory linguistics book that makes the pedagogy explicit. --Associate Professor John M. Levis, Iowa State University