Introducing English Linguistics (Cambridge Introductions to Language and Linguistics)

✍ Scribed by Charles F. Meyer

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 271
• Series: Cambridge Introductions to Language and Linguistics
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Are you looking for a genuine introduction to the linguistics of English that provides a broad overview of the subject that sustains students' interest and avoids excessive detail? Introducing English Linguistics accomplishes this goal in two ways. First, it takes a top-down approach to language, beginning with the largest unit of linguistic structure, the text, and working its way down through successively smaller structures (sentences, words, and finally speech sounds). The advantage of presenting language this way is that students are first given the larger picture - they study language in context - and then see how the smaller pieces of language are a consequence of the larger goals of linguistic communication. Second, the book does not contain invented examples, as is the case with most comparable texts, but instead takes its sample materials from the major computerised databases of spoken and written English, giving students a more realistic view of language.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 7
Copyright......Page 8
Contents......Page 9
Preface......Page 11
Copyright acknowledgment......Page 12
CHAPTER 1 The study of language......Page 13
Introduction......Page 14
Language as part of a semiotic system......Page 15
The modes of language......Page 17
Studying linguistic structure......Page 18
Language and ideology......Page 24
Theorizing about language......Page 27
Summary......Page 29
Further reading......Page 30
CHAPTER 2 The development of English......Page 31
The current state of the English language......Page 32
Genetic classifications of languages......Page 35
The comparative method......Page 36
The development of English......Page 43
Typological classifications of languages......Page 46
Typological classifications based on morphology......Page 47
Typological classifications based on syntax......Page 48
Language typology and language universals......Page 50
Change or evolution?......Page 51
Internal and external influences on language change......Page 53
Language death......Page 54
The nature of language change......Page 55
Summary......Page 56
Self-study activities......Page 57
Further reading......Page 58
CHAPTER 3 The social context of English......Page 59
Grammatical vs. pragmatic meaning......Page 60
Sentence vs. utterance......Page 61
Speech act theory......Page 62
Felicity/appropriateness conditions......Page 66
The cooperative principle......Page 67
Quality......Page 69
Relation......Page 70
Manner......Page 71
Problems with the cooperative principle......Page 73
Power relationships and social distance......Page 74
Levels of impoliteness, face-threatening acts, and tact......Page 77
Other kinds of politeness......Page 80
Speaker variables......Page 82
Michael A.......Page 83
Teresa B.......Page 86
Summary......Page 88
Self-study activities......Page 89
Further reading......Page 90
CHAPTER 4 The structure of English texts......Page 91
Introduction......Page 92
Register or genre?......Page 93
Spoken and written registers......Page 95
Unity of structure......Page 96
Spoken registers......Page 97
Written registers......Page 105
Thematic structure......Page 110
Markers of cohesion......Page 114
Self-study activities......Page 120
Further reading......Page 121
CHAPTER 5 English syntax......Page 123
Introduction......Page 124
Formal vs. notional definitions......Page 125
The linear and hierarchical structuring of constituents......Page 127
Form and function......Page 128
Noun phrases......Page 129
The verb phrase......Page 135
Clauses, sentences, and clause functions......Page 142
Main and subordinate clauses......Page 143
Clause functions......Page 148
Summary......Page 158
Further reading......Page 159
CHAPTER 6 English words: Structure and meaning......Page 161
Introduction......Page 162
Varying definitions of meaning......Page 163
Free and bound morphemes......Page 164
Inflectional and derivational morphemes......Page 165
Lexical semantics......Page 169
English language dictionaries......Page 170
Componential analysis......Page 179
Semantic relations......Page 182
Creating new vocabulary......Page 188
Deixis......Page 194
Referential deixis......Page 195
Spatial deixis......Page 198
Temporal deixis......Page 199
Self-study activities......Page 204
Further reading......Page 205
CHAPTER 7 The sounds of English......Page 207
Speech segments......Page 208
The phonetic alphabet......Page 209
English consonants......Page 210
Vowels in English......Page 214
Nasal plosion......Page 217
Voicing assimilation with English -s:......Page 218
Lengthening of vowels......Page 219
Syllables......Page 220
Intonation......Page 225
Self-study activities......Page 228
Further reading......Page 230
Appendix: Linguistic corpora consulted......Page 231
Glossary......Page 233
1 The study of language......Page 251
2 The development of English......Page 252
3 The social context of English......Page 253
4 The structure of English texts......Page 254
5 English syntax......Page 255
6 English words: Structure and meaning......Page 256
7 The sounds of English......Page 257
References......Page 259
Index......Page 265