Search results for ""Author Geoffrey K. Pullum""

Book SynopsisLanguage is the medium in which we humans compose our thoughts, explain our thinking, construct our arguments, and create works of literature. Without language, societies as complex as ours could not exist. Geoffrey Pullum offers a stimulating introduction to the many ways in which linguistics, as the scientific study of language, matters. With its close relationships to psychology, education, philosophy, and computer science, the subject has a compelling human story to tell about the ways in which different societies see and describe the world, and its far-reaching applications range from law to medicine and from developmental psychology to artificial intelligence. Introducing Polity’s Why It Matters series: In these short and lively books, world-leading thinkers make the case for the importance of their subjects and aim to inspire a new generation of students.Trade Review"An approachable, fascinating resource for those interested in the mechanics of words." —​The Guardian "[A] fascinating, beautifully written and highly accessible exposition of why the science of language matters. Strongly recommend it."—Oliver Kamm, columnist for The Times of London "Geoff Pullum, tart and cosmopolitan as always, has at last given the world the handiest possible remedy for idea that what's interesting about language is snippy rules about where prepositions shouldn't be, that different languages make you think in different ways, or that Siri actually understands us. Linguistics is fascinating far beyond these myths and this book will show you why in a quick coffee-cup read.'—John McWhorter, Columbia University "Geoff Pullum among our greatest living linguists, with a deep appreciation of the richness of language and the elegance of linguistic theory. He is also one of the finest stylists writing today, and presents ideas with dazzling clarity and wit. No one is better equipped to explain linguistics and why it matters."—Steve Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of The Language Instinct and How the Mind Works "Hard to put down and infinitely informative ... Pullum's book has the feel of a casual conversation with a personable and knowledgeable companion."—CHOICETable of Contents Preface Chapter 1: What Makes Us Human Chapter 2: How Sentences Work Chapter 3: Words, Meaning and Thought Chapter 4: Language and Social Life Chapter 5: Machines That Understand Us Conclusion Notes on Further Reading

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Book SynopsisLanguage is the medium in which we humans compose our thoughts, explain our thinking, construct our arguments, and create works of literature. Without language, societies as complex as ours could not exist. Geoffrey Pullum offers a stimulating introduction to the many ways in which linguistics, as the scientific study of language, matters. With its close relationships to psychology, education, philosophy, and computer science, the subject has a compelling human story to tell about the ways in which different societies see and describe the world, and its far-reaching applications range from law to medicine and from developmental psychology to artificial intelligence. Introducing Polity’s Why It Matters series: In these short and lively books, world-leading thinkers make the case for the importance of their subjects and aim to inspire a new generation of students.Trade Review"An approachable, fascinating resource for those interested in the mechanics of words." —​The Guardian "[A] fascinating, beautifully written and highly accessible exposition of why the science of language matters. Strongly recommend it."—Oliver Kamm, columnist for The Times of London "Geoff Pullum, tart and cosmopolitan as always, has at last given the world the handiest possible remedy for idea that what's interesting about language is snippy rules about where prepositions shouldn't be, that different languages make you think in different ways, or that Siri actually understands us. Linguistics is fascinating far beyond these myths and this book will show you why in a quick coffee-cup read.'—John McWhorter, Columbia University "Geoff Pullum among our greatest living linguists, with a deep appreciation of the richness of language and the elegance of linguistic theory. He is also one of the finest stylists writing today, and presents ideas with dazzling clarity and wit. No one is better equipped to explain linguistics and why it matters."—Steve Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of The Language Instinct and How the Mind Works "Hard to put down and infinitely informative ... Pullum's book has the feel of a casual conversation with a personable and knowledgeable companion."—CHOICETable of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: What Makes Us Human Chapter 2: How Sentences Work Chapter 3: Words, Meaning and Thought Chapter 4: Language and Social Life Chapter 5: Machines That Understand Us Conclusion Notes on Further Reading

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Book SynopsisHow reliable are all those stories about the number of Eskimo words for snow? How can lamps, flags, and parrots be libelous? These and many other odd questions are typical topics in this collection of essays that present and occasionally zany, often wry, but always fascinating look at language and the people who study it.

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Book SynopsisThis is an encyclopedia of phonetic alphabet symbols, providing a complete survey of the many characters used by linguists and speech scientists to record the sounds of the world's languages. It includes 61 new entries, an expanded glossary of phonetic terms, added symbol charts and an index.

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Book SynopsisThis is an encyclopedia of phonetic alphabet symbols, providing a complete survey of the many characters used by linguists and speech scientists to record the sounds of the world's languages. It includes 61 new entries, an expanded glossary of phonetic terms, added symbol charts and an index.

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Book SynopsisA new edition of the ground-breaking undergraduate textbook on modern Standard English grammar, now reorganised to align fully with the award-winning reference work, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. This edition has been rewritten in an easy-to-read conversational style with a minimum of technical and theoretical terminology.Trade Review'Many people, not least in my profession of journalism, profess to love the English language while showing scant sign of really understanding its grammar. A Student's Introduction to English Grammar will be a revelation to them and all other interested general readers, as well as college students. It is a masterly and definitive treatment of the structure of modern Standard English, written with analytical rigour but always in an accessible style. Among the most informative and pleasurable aspects of the book is its explanation of where traditional treatments of the subject go wrong. In place of such hoary misconceptions such as that a noun is the 'name of a thing', or that an adjective is a 'describing word', Professors Huddleston, Pullum and Reynolds explain that grammar is an empirical subject that rests on evidence. Their book conveys the excitement of intellectual discovery, and will inoculate readers against many stubborn but mistaken popular notions about 'correct grammar'. As a professional writer, I strongly recommend it.' Oliver Kamm, leader writer and columnist for The Times of London'This superb textbook distils the knowledge of three distinguished linguists who understand the nuances of the English sentence as well as anyone ever has. True, it gets technical. So don't try to read it in one weekend. Pace yourself and read it, say, over the course of two months. Soon you'll be regaling your friends with accounts of subject extraposition, pseudo-clefts and bare existentials. If you're not then the life of the party, then you're attending the wrong parties.' Bryan A. Garner, Chief Editor, Black's Law Dictionary'Students often experience grammar phobia and fear the ire of purists. The authors have gone a long way to allaying these concerns in their accessible, yet authoritative, treatment of English grammar. I appreciated their position that Standard English is a dialect - and its prestige an historical accident - and their Usage Controversy Notes, which dispel many false usage claims. I only wish that such a book had been available when I was a student!' Diane Larsen-Freeman, University of Michigan'This second edition continues the illuminating and comprehensive presentation of English grammar that we have come to expect. Students and instructors alike will benefit from the contemporary, non-formal approach of the text and the relevance and intelligibility of real examples and exercises. This is undoubtedly an essential text for all students of the English language who require a strong grounding in the discipline.' Sam D'Elia, University of Kent'In their second edition of A Student's Introduction to English Grammar, Huddleston, Pullum and Reynolds remove the need to feel intimidated by grammatical analysis. Written in a conversational style and suited to students from a range of backgrounds, this textbook provides a clear and approachable introduction to the structure of English. An invaluable addition to undergraduate reading lists - grammar bullies beware!' Colleen Holt, La Trobe University'Readable and engaging, this comprehensive and detailed textbook clarifies complex grammatical concepts for students. What sets this book apart is how it discusses 'normal' language as opposed to 'formal' language in its Usage Controversy Notes, where the reader will be relieved to learn that it's okay to split infinitives, use passives and refer to an individual with the pronoun 'they'.' Helene Seltzer Krauthamer, author of The Great Pronoun Shift: The Big Impact of Small Parts of Speech, University of the District of Columbia'This grammar book is a very well rounded and comprehensive grammar of the English language. Because it is a perfect fit for beginning and more advanced university students it lends itself to both recapping the wide array of topics as well as learning about them. It's an invaluable book for English students.' Vivian Gramley, Bielefeld University'A Students's Introduction to English Grammar is a remarkable read, both in its scope and attention to detail. The authors succeeded in producing a student-friendly reference book without simultaneously falling into a trap of oversimplifying the complex notions so inherent to English grammar. A feat of daring.' Zoran Simicevic, University of Vienna'This text accomplishes what instructors need for undergraduate grammar courses with a linguistic focus: it makes both conceptual content and the process of linguistic reasoning accessible to students. The text introduces critical concepts - from constituency to complementation - and demonstrates step by step how these concepts are derived and applied in evidence-based linguistic reasoning. Because the text offers thorough coverage, a direct and pragmatic approach to usage controversies and an ample selection of exercises inviting students to practise and reason critically, it is a welcome option for instructors teaching in undergraduate English, education and linguistics programmes.' Miriam Moore, University of North Georgia'Unbiased and consistently descriptive, this revised Introduction takes the student on an almost-informal discovery trip through word classes, phrases, clauses and more complex clause phenomena. With richly illustrated discussions and a wide range of topics covered, this is a textbook of English grammar and a grammar reference book in one - a book of English grammar for the modern times.' Jerzy Nykiel, University of Bergen'This is a clear, carefully structured and comprehensive introduction to the complexities of English grammar. Its special gift, however, is the consistent way it links the elements and structures of sentences to their meaning. In doing so, the authors offer a text that is as much about the qualities of style as the mechanics of language.' Lawrence Byrne, Barry University'A Student's Introduction to English Grammar begins and ends as every grammar textbook should: by reminding students that they already know most of the material within the book. By demystifying the study of grammar, Huddleston, Pullum and Reynolds teach students how to improve their innate understanding of the English language.' Jason Todd, Xavier University of Louisiana'A Student's Introduction to English Grammar is a highly accessible textbook because the authors recognise that English grammar is both complex and at times subtle. By making this recognition, the authors have made the student's experience of analysing English central. For instance, theory is built from example sentences rather than being illustrated by them, additionally common misunderstandings and difficulties in analysis are not ignored, but highlighted and are attended with full discussion. The result is that students are led to understand English grammar from a modern linguistic perspective - leaving behind many misconceptions seen in more traditional grammars.' Peter Hurst, University of Melbourne'I have been using the first edition for almost 15 years with my undergraduate and master's English grammar and syntax classes, and I look forward to working through the second edition with my students. The revised exercises and inclusion of additional tree structures should be quite useful. I particularly am excited to go over the new Chapter 8 on Adjuncts with them and appreciate how the book now better aligns with the structure of the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Most importantly, however, the grammatical analyses the book presents remain expertly reasoned. The keen attention to separating form and function represented in the book would benefit any student of the English language and is something that is sorely missing in traditional grammar approaches, and often even in much modern syntactic theorizing. This, combined with the breadth and depth of coverage of grammatical topics, makes it a must-have for both English language educators and professional linguists alike.'A good grammar textbook provides readers with the what, how and why and strives to boost students' efficacy in understanding and application of grammar across different contexts. A Student's Introduction to English Grammar achieves these goals by providing learners with an active language-learning experience. Content, commentary and practice engage students in not only building the knowledge they need to understand grammar but also in facilitating an investigation into best practices in light of an ever-changing language.' Rachel Smydra, Oakland UniversityTable of ContentsPreface for the student; Preface for the instructor; 1. Introduction; 2. Overview of the book; 3. Verbs and verb phrases; 4. Complements in clauses; 5. Nouns and determinatives; 6. Adjectives and adverbs; 7. Prepositions and particles; 8. Adjuncts: modifiers and supplements; 9. Negation; 10. Clause type; 11. Subordinate clauses; 12. Relative constructions; 13. Comparatives and superlatives; 14. Non-finite clauses; 15. Coordinations; 16. Information structure; Index.

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