This book looks at native speaker varieties of English, considering how and why they differ in terms of their pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and spelling. It shows how the major national varieties of English have developed, why similar causes have given rise to different effects in different parts of the world, and how the same problems of description arise in relation to all 'colonial' Englishes. It covers varieties of English spoken in Britain, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Falkland Islands.

This introduction to linguistics for the absolute beginner focuses on the core topics of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Theoretically-neutral, each essential topic is covered in depth and the author's engaging style encourages interaction from students by using regular short questions to check comprehension.

This book looks at native speaker varieties of English, considering how and why they differ in terms of their pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and spelling. It shows how the major national varieties of English have developed, why similar causes have given rise to different effects in different parts of the world, and how the same problems of description arise in relation to all 'colonial' Englishes. It covers varieties of English spoken in Britain, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Falkland Islands.

This book provides a non-technical introduction to the study of language by focusing on questions such as: Where does language come from? Why don't we all talk the same? Who needs grammar? Suitable for students with no experience of linguistics, this lively introduction to language approaches will encourage students to think.

Routledge Language Workbooks are practical introductions to specific areas of language for absolute beginners. They provide comprehensive coverage of the area as well as a basis for further study. Language Workbooks can be used for independent study or as part of a taught class. Vocabulary: * covers issues such as the power of words to influence our perceptions * looks at the origins of words from English and other languages * explores the relationships between the meanings and shapes of words * examines the correlation of different kinds of words with different style levels * uses striking...

Lexicology is about words, their meanings and the relationships between them, their origins and their structure. It combines the study of derivational morphology with lexical semantics. This textbook explores the history, meanings and structure of words, the way they are collected in dictionaries and the way they are stored in our minds. It goes beyond examining the morphological structure of words to examine the way words are spelt and the way they sound. At every stage, the book focuses not only on description, but also on the puzzles that words present. Supported by numerous examples,...