What Is This Thing Called Language?

ISBN-13: 9780230291379 / Angielski / Miękka / 2012 / 272 str.

David Nunan

Opis

David Nunan provides an overview of the key topics and concepts that constitute our current understanding of language. This new edition has been extensively reworked and updated, including additional coverage of language and culture, language variation, second language acquisition and bilingualism. New discourse examples are also included.

Spis treści

List of Tables and Figures.- Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Introduction to the First Edition: The Stuff that Surrounds Us.- Introduction to the Second Edition: A Personal Account.- What is this Thing Called Language?.- The Sound System.- The Lexical System.- The Grammatical System.- Doing Things with Spoken Language.- Doing Things with Written Language.- First and Second Language Acquisition.- Language at Play.- Language, Culture and Identity.- Language in a Global Context.- Postscript.- Books to Read on a Long Plane Flight.- Key Figures.- Glossary.- References.- Author Index.- Subject Index.

O autorze

DAVID NUNAN is Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School of Education, Anaheim University, USA, and Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Hong Kong.

Blurb

Language is a complex and ever-evolving phenomenon, but it is one that deeply defines us all. So, What Is This Thing Called Language? Illustrating how it is used in different ways and in varied contexts, this book offers a thought-provoking and entertaining guide through the mysteries of language.

The new edition:
– Explores the basics of the language systems of sounds, vocabulary and grammar
– Explains a basic framework of linguistics and language analysis Examines the written and spoken word in a range of different languages
– Uses intriguing anecdotes and interesting examples to unpack complex ideas
– Offers study-friendly features, including reflective questions, further reading suggestions as well as glossaries of linguistic terminology and key linguists

With new and expanded material on a range of topics, from language variation and culture to second language acquisition and bilingualism, this is an 'un-put-down-able' introduction for all students of language and linguistics.