R.L. Trask

Language: The Basics provides a concise, plain language introduction to the study of language. The new edition of this classic text by R. L. Trask has been revised and completely rewritten to bring it up-to-date. Written in an engaging and entertaining style, the book features: *new chapters on language and AI and word formation processes; *new discussions on racio-linguistics and anthropology, gender and sexuality, language and migration, heritage languages, multilingual speakers and language and the brain; *new examples from a range of languages to showcase the diversity that languages bring; * an updated glossary of key terms; and * handy annotated guides to further reading. Providing an accessible overview of a fascinating subject which assumes no prior knowledge, this is an essential book for all students and anyone who's ever been accused of splitting an infinitive. Online support materials, including exercises and ideas for mini-research projects, are available at www.routledge.com/9781041029229.

Language: The Basics provides a concise, plain language introduction to the study of language. The new edition of this classic text by R. L. Trask has been revised and completely rewritten to bring it up-to-date. Written in an engaging and entertaining style, the book features: *new chapters on language and AI and word formation processes; *new discussions on racio-linguistics and anthropology, gender and sexuality, language and migration, heritage languages, multilingual speakers and language and the brain; *new examples from a range of languages to showcase the diversity that languages bring; * an updated glossary of key terms; and * handy annotated guides to further reading. Providing an accessible overview of a fascinating subject which assumes no prior knowledge, this is an essential book for all students and anyone who's ever been accused of splitting an infinitive. Online support materials, including exercises and ideas for mini-research projects, are available at www.routledge.com/9781041029229.

Trask’s Historical Linguistics provides an accessible introduction to historical linguistics – the study of language change over time. This engaging book is illustrated with language examples from all six continents, and covers the fundamental concepts of language change, methods for historical linguistics, linguistic reconstruction, sociolinguistic aspects of language change, language contact, the birth and death of languages, language and prehistory, and the issue of very remote relations. The fourth edition of this renowned textbook is fully revised and updated and covers the most recent developments in historical linguistics, including:A thorough reworking of sections on morphological and syntactic change, incorporating progress in areas such as grammaticalization and the discussion of the Indo-European ‘homeland’Discussion and analysis of ‘folk’ historical linguistics and its connection with some of the more eccentric views of professional linguistsAn expanded discussion of language contact, historical sociolinguistics, and language planning, including a discussion of contemporary competing views on the genesis and nature of creoles, and their importance in our understanding of radical linguistic changeUpdated support material including suggestions for essay questions and a larger number of supporting examples of the phenomena described in the bookTrask’s Historical Linguistics is essential reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of historical linguistics as well as any student looking for a grounded introduction to the English language.

Trask’s Historical Linguistics provides an accessible introduction to historical linguistics – the study of language change over time. This engaging book is illustrated with language examples from all six continents, and covers the fundamental concepts of language change, methods for historical linguistics, linguistic reconstruction, sociolinguistic aspects of language change, language contact, the birth and death of languages, language and prehistory, and the issue of very remote relations. The fourth edition of this renowned textbook is fully revised and updated and covers the most recent developments in historical linguistics, including:A thorough reworking of sections on morphological and syntactic change, incorporating progress in areas such as grammaticalization and the discussion of the Indo-European ‘homeland’Discussion and analysis of ‘folk’ historical linguistics and its connection with some of the more eccentric views of professional linguistsAn expanded discussion of language contact, historical sociolinguistics, and language planning, including a discussion of contemporary competing views on the genesis and nature of creoles, and their importance in our understanding of radical linguistic changeUpdated support material including suggestions for essay questions and a larger number of supporting examples of the phenomena described in the bookTrask’s Historical Linguistics is essential reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of historical linguistics as well as any student looking for a grounded introduction to the English language.

Written for students of linguistics, applied linguistics and speech therapy, this dictionary covers over 2,000 terms in phonetics and phonology. It is an informative and easy-to-use reference tool, covering a wide variety of topics.

Written for students of linguistics, applied linguistics and speech therapy, this dictionary covers over 2,000 terms in phonetics and phonology. In addition to providing a comprehensive, yet concise, guide to an enormous number of individual terms, it also includes an explanation of the most important theoretical approaches to phonology. Its usefulness as a reference tool is further enhanced by the inclusion of pronunciations, notational devices and symbols, earliest sources of terms, suggestions for further reading, and advice with regard to usage. The wide range of topics explained include: * Classical phonology, including American Structuralism and the Prague School * Contemporary approaches, including Autosegmental Phonology, Metrical Phonology, Dependency Phonology, Government Phonology and Lexical Phonology * Prosodic ideas in phonology, both traditional and contemporary ^ * * historical phonology * Intonation and tonology This dictionary devotes space to the various theoretical approaches in proportion to their importance, but it concentrates most heavily on non-theory-bound descriptive terminology. It will remain a definitive reference for years to come.

This dictionary of grammatical terms covers both current and traditional terminology in syntax and morphology. It includes descriptive terms, the major theoretical concepts of the most influential grammatical frameworks, and the chief terms from mathematical and computational linguistics. It contains over 1500 entries, providing definitions and examples, pronunciations, the earliest sources of terms and suggestions for further reading, and recommendations about competing and conflicting usages. The book focuses on non-theory-boumd descriptive terms, which are likely to remain current for some years. Aimed at students and teachers of linguistics, it allows a reader puzzled by a grammatical term to look it up and locate further reading with ease.

What makes human language unique? Do women speak differently from men? Just what is the meaning of "meaning"? Language: The Basics provides a concise introduction to the study of language. Written in an engaging and entertaining style, it encourages the reader to think about the way language works. It features:* chapters on 'Language in Use', 'Attitudes to Language', 'Children and Language' and 'Language, Mind and Brain'* a section on sign language* a glossary of key terms* handy annotated guides to further reading. Providing an accessible overview of a fascinating subject, this is an essential book for all students and anyone who's ever been accused of splitting an infinitive.

Basque is the sole survivor of the very ancient languages of Western Europe. This book, written by an internationally renowned specialist in Basque, provides a comprehensive survey of all that is known about the prehistory of the language, including pronunciation, the grammar and the vocabulary. It also provides a long critical evaluation of the search for its relatives, as well as a thumbnail sketch of the language, a summary of its typological features, an external history and an extensive bibliography.

Covering thinkers from Aristotle to Saussure and Chomsky, "Introducing Linguistics" reveals the rules and beauty that underlie language, our most human skill.

A comprehensive and critical A-Z guide to the main terms and concepts used in the study of language and linguistics, definitions featured include:terms used in grammatical analysisbranches of linguistics from semantics to neurolinguisticsapproaches used in studying language from critical discourse analysis to systemic linguisticslinguistic phenomena from code-switching to conversational implicaturelanguage varieties from pidgin to standard language. This fully updated second edition includes a new introduction, a wide range of new entries (reflecting developments in linguistics) and added specialized further reading for lecturers and more advanced students.

A comprehensive and critical A-Z guide to the main terms and concepts used in the study of language and linguistics, definitions featured include:terms used in grammatical analysisbranches of linguistics from semantics to neurolinguisticsapproaches used in studying language from critical discourse analysis to systemic linguisticslinguistic phenomena from code-switching to conversational implicaturelanguage varieties from pidgin to standard language. This fully updated second edition includes a new introduction, a wide range of new entries (reflecting developments in linguistics) and added specialized further reading for lecturers and more advanced students.

A lighthearted style guide in the tradition of Eats, Shoots & Leaves shares offbeat, biting rules for standard written English, including such examples as, "An amoral person is one who does not know the difference between right and wrong. An immoral person knows the difference but does wrong anyway." Original.

Gives clear instructions for the best use of email at work. It takes you through all the basics and netiquette of emailing to strangers, business contacts and colleagues, from setting up email accounts, presentation and formatting of your emails to avoiding offensive blunders and common pitfalls.

The Penguin guide to common errors in English. Can you describe something as very real? Is it appropriate to use the phrase bon viveur? Are you sometimes tempted to write the word utilize instead of use, or albeit when but will do? For anyone who has ever found written English a potential minefield of disasters, Mind the Gaffe will help you avoid the blunders and howlers which could leave your readers either bemused or rolling on the floor with laughter. In this straight-talking and highly entertaining book, Larry Trask gives forthright advice on how to write simply and effectively, highlighting pretentious words that should be avoided at all costs (synergy, interface, feedback …); suggesting guidelines for the use of e-mail; and adjudicating on hundreds of contentious issues, from split infinitives to whether you should write napkin or serviette.

This succinct and authoritative volume is the perfect guide to the many grammatical laws and idiosyncrasies that govern the English Language. Larry Trask writes with remarkable clarity, communicating complex abstract ideas with enviable ease. By focusing only on what is relevant, current and genuinely helpful, THE PENGUIN DICTIONARY OF GRAMMAR is essential reading for linguists, English Language students, and indeed anyone who writes in English. The Society of Freelance Edtitors and Proofreaders recommended his PUNCTUATION book as 'excellent'.

Historical and comparative linguistics has been a major scholarly discipline for 200 years, and yet this is the first dictionary ever devoted to it. With nearly 2400 entries, this dictionary covers every aspect of the subject, from the most venerable work to the exciting advances of the last few years, many of which have not even made it into textbooks yet. All of the traditional terms are here, but so are the terms only introduced recently, in connection with such varied subjects as pidgin and creole languages, the sociolinguistic study of language change, mathematical and computational methods, the novel approaches to linguistic geography, the controversial proposals of new and vast language families, and the attempts at relating the results of the historical linguists to those of the archaeologists, the anthropologists and the geneticists. More than just a dictionary, this book provides genuine linguistic examples of most of the terms entered, detailed explanations of fundamental concepts, critical assessment of controversial ideas, cross-references to related terms, and an abundance of references to the original literature. Features: *The first dictionary in the field. *Comprehensive coverage. *Clearly written and accurate entries. *Covers traditional and contemporary terminology. *Provides linguistic examples of terms defined. *Supplies numerous cross-references to related terms. *Includes hundreds of references to the original literature.

Historical and comparative linguistics has been a major scholarly discipline for 200 years, and yet this is the first dictionary ever devoted to it. With nearly 2400 entries, this dictionary covers every aspect of the subject, from the most venerable work to the exciting advances of the last few years, many of which have not even made it into textbooks yet. All of the traditional terms are here, but so are the terms only introduced recently, in connection with such varied subjects as pidgin and creole languages, the sociolinguistic study of language change, mathematical and computational methods, the novel approaches to linguistic geography, the controversial proposals of new and vast language families, and the attempts at relating the results of the historical linguists to those of the archaeologists, the anthropologists and the geneticists. More than just a dictionary, this book provides genuine linguistic examples of most of the terms entered, detailed explanations of fundamental concepts, critical assessment of controversial ideas, cross-references to related terms, and an abundance of references to the original literature. Features: *The first dictionary in the field. *Comprehensive coverage. *Clearly written and accurate entries. *Covers traditional and contemporary terminology. *Provides linguistic examples of terms defined. *Supplies numerous cross-references to related terms. *Includes hundreds of references to the original literature.

What makes human language unique? Do women speak differently from men? Just what is the meaning of "meaning"? Language: The Basics provides a concise introduction to the study of language. Written in an engaging and entertaining style, it encourages the reader to think about the way language works. It features:* chapters on 'Language in Use', 'Attitudes to Language', 'Children and Language' and 'Language, Mind and Brain'* a section on sign language* a glossary of key terms* handy annotated guides to further reading. Providing an accessible overview of a fascinating subject, this is an essential book for all students and anyone who's ever been accused of splitting an infinitive.

The Penguin Guide to Punctuation is indispensable for anyone who needs to get to grips with using punctuation in their written work. Whether you are puzzled by colons and semicolons, unsure of where commas should go or baffled by apostrophes, this jargon-free, succinct guide is for you.