Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication - Softcover

Demers, Richard A.; Farmer, Ann K.; Harnish, Robert M.

3.8

176 ratings by Goodreads

9780262511230: Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0262511231 ISBN 13: 9780262511230

Publisher: Mit Pr, 2001

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This popular introductory linguistics text is unique in the way various themes are integrated throughout the book. One primary theme is the question, "How is a speaker's communicative intent recognized?" Rather than treat phonology, phonetics, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics as completely separate fields, the text shows how they interact in principled ways. Similarly, language variation and acquisition are informed by results in these fields. The text provides a sound introduction to linguistic methodology while also revealing why people are intrinsically interested in language—the ultimate puzzle of the human mind.

The fifth edition has been thoroughly revised. Revisions include, but are not limited to, the addition of "selected readings" sections, updated examples, new discussion on the creative nature of neologisms, and the use of IPA as the primary transcription system throughout. This edition also includes an account of the patterns of occurrence of reduced vowels in English. An understanding of these patterns enables the reader to write a phonemic transcription of any English word.

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About the Author:

The late Adrian Akmajian was Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona.

Review:

Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication has long served as the yardstick introductory textbook to Linguistics. This new edition continues in that tradition, offering a carefully updated presentation of diverse aspects of the discipline. The text succeeds in being engaging without sacrificing conceptual sophistication or analytic accuracy, it challenges the reader without overwhelming. Its comprehensive coverage of traditional linguistic topics combined with its cognitive science perspective makes this textbook uniquely adaptable for a broad range of courses. It is to my mind the best overall single volume for making state-of-the-art linguistics accessible to the novice student.

(Steven Franks, Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures; Chair and Professor of Linguistics, Indiana University, Adrian Akmajian, Richard A. Demers, Ann K. Farmer, and Robert M. Harnish)

The 6th edition of Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication is a wonderful introductory textbook for linguistics. The book is flexible enough to be used in both introductory and more advanced survey courses by including more advanced special topic sections and lengthy reference lists for the interested student. It also combines 'famous' linguistic examples (e.g., Canadian raising) in the presentation of the material and in the exercises with new and clever examples (e.g, 'Cops-ization') to give students a range of linguistic data to consider.

(Susannah Levi, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University)

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