Description
Book SynopsisThis thought-provoking book offers an accessible introduction to the main discoveries and theories about the nature and wonder of language. It is aimed at general readers and undergraduates who are curious about linguistics and language. Purposefully written in a lively and direct style, technical terms are carefully introduced and explained.
Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. How to make noises - phonetics; 2. How to organise noises - phonology; 3. How to build a word - morphology; 4. How to say absolutely anything you want to - syntax; 5. How to build a world - semantics; 6. How to influence people - pragmatics; 7. How to find lost languages - historical linguistics; 8. How to influence the right people - sociolinguistics; 9. How to lose a language and how to learn a language - psycholinguistics; 10. How to build a language - language typology and universals.
