Crystal clear exposition combines with comprehensive coverage of the field
Illustrated with the author`s cartoons

Full glossary of terms
Further reading and problems at every stage
Two-colour printing throughout
Companion website
Covers UK and US approaches to phonology
Treats syntax in basic terms
Covers current trends and issues, such as in-group talk

In clear, congenial style Barry Blake explains how language works. He describes the make-up of words and how they`re built from sounds and signs and put together in phrases and sentences. He examines the dynamics of conversation and the relations between the sound and meaning. He shows how languages help their users connect to each other and to the world, how they vary around the world, why they never stop changing, and that no two people speak a language in the same way. He looks at how language is acquired by infant children, how it relates to thought, and its operations in the brain. He investigates current trends and issues such as the levelling of linguistic class differences and the rise of new secret or in-group languages such as argot and teenspeak. He describes the history of writing from its origins to digital diffusion, and ends by looking at how language might have originated and then evolved among our distant hominid and primate ancestors.

Language is crucial to every aspect of our lives whether we`re thinking, talking, or dreaming. Barry Blake reveals the wonders that lie beneath the surface of everyday communication, enriching his exposition with a unique blend of anecdote and humour. His engaging guide is for everyone curious about language or who needs to know more about it.


Contents
1. Introduction
Part One: Words

2. Word Classes
3. Forming New Words
4. Meaning of Words
Part Two: Syntax and Discourse

5. The Simple Sentence
6. Compound and Complex Sentences
7. Using Language
Part Three: Speech and Writing

8. Phonetics
9. Phonology
10. Writing
Part Four: Variation and Change

11. Varieties
12. Language Change
Part Five: The Brain

13. Language Acquisition
14. Language Processing: Brains and Computers
15. The Origin of Language
Glossary of Terms
References and Further Reading
Index