'… this introductory book is essential reading for undergraduate students who are new to the field of linguistics and those who wish to get a modern perspective on linguistics as a science. It will also prove valuable for language teachers who wish to demonstrate the relevance of linguistics to the real world.' Xueliang Chen, Language in Society
1. A new science; 2. Complex systems in nature and human behavior; 3. Complex systems in language; 4. Language basics: sounds; 5. Sounds: IPA and acoustic phonetics; 6. Sounds: atlas evidence; 7. Language basics: morphology; 8. Morphemes: empirical data; 9. Parts of speech; 10. Language basics: grammar and discourse; 11. Grammar: sentences and construction grammar; 12. Cognitive linguistics; 13. Language acquisition; 14. Language evolution; 15. Text type; 16. Style; 17. Sociolinguistics; 18. Big data: using a corpus; 19. Historical linguistics; 20. Conclusion: the future of interaction and emergence.