The Language System of English

The Language System of English PDF

Author: Vulf Plotkin

Publisher: Universal-Publishers

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 115

ISBN-13: 1581129939

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A description of the English language as a dynamic system in the evolutionary process of radical typological restructuring, which has deeply affected its constituent subsystems - grammatical, lexical and phonic.

The English Language

The English Language PDF

Author: Stanley Hussey

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-06-03

Total Pages: 203

ISBN-13: 1317893514

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The 'correct' use of English has been the subject of vigorous debate in recent years. But what defines 'correctness' in our use of language? And how has this altered over time? In this authoritative survey of the history of the English language, the author examines how linguistic traditions have changed and developed over the centuries to produce the language that we are familiar with today. Taking present-day usage as its starting point, the book uses a topic-based approach to explore the historical development of vocabulary, grammar, syntax, sounds and spellings, thus providing both a firm sense of the structure of the language and an outline of its history.

Words of the World

Words of the World PDF

Author: Abram De Swaan

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2013-05-29

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 074566346X

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This bold and accessible study of human languages and communication explores issues which are at the forefront of today's globalized society. The human species is divided into more than five thousand language groups that do not understand each other. And yet these groups constitute one coherent world language system, connected by multilingual speakers in a surprisingly powerful way. The chances of a language thriving depend on its position in the system. There are thousands of small, peripheral languages, each connected to one of a hundred central languages. The entire system is held together by one global language: English. A language is a ‘hypercollective' good: the more speakers it has, the higher its communication value for each one of them. Thus, when people think that a language is gaining new speakers, that in itself is a reason for them to want to learn it too. That is why, in an age of globalization, only a few languages remain for transnational communication and these often prevail even in national societies. This important book discusses a number of specific constellations in detail: India, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and the European Union. De Swaan concludes by providing a sober but illuminating view of language policy in multilingual societies. This book will be essential reading for those studying sociology, communication studies and linguistics.

Language as a Complex Adaptive System

Language as a Complex Adaptive System PDF

Author: Nick C. Ellis

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2009-12-30

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 144433400X

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Explores a new approach to studying language as a complex adaptive system, illustrating its commonalities across many areas of language research Brings together a team of leading researchers in linguistics, psychology, and complex systems to discuss the groundbreaking significance of this perspective for their work Illustrates its application across a variety of subfields, including languages usage, language evolution, language structure, and first and second language acquisition "What a breath of fresh air! As interesting a collection of papers as you are likely to find on the evolution, learning, and use of language from the point of view of both cognitive underpinnings and communicative functions." Michael Tomasello, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Knowledge of Language

Knowledge of Language PDF

Author: Noam Chomsky

Publisher: Holt McDougal

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 362

ISBN-13:

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"Attempts to indentify the fundamental concepts of language, argues that the study of language reveals hidden facts about the mind, and looks at the impact of propaganda".

Introducing English Language

Introducing English Language PDF

Author: Louise Mullany

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-07-30

Total Pages: 375

ISBN-13: 1317479084

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Routledge English Language Introductions cover core areas of language study and are one-stop resources for students. Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, commentaries and key readings – all in the same volume. The innovative and flexible ‘two-dimensional’ structure is built around four sections – introduction, development, exploration and extension – which offer self-contained stages for study. Each topic can also be read across these sections, enabling the reader to build gradually on the knowledge gained. Introducing English Language: is the foundational book in the Routledge English Language Introductions series, providing an accessible introduction to the English language contains newly expanded coverage of morphology, updated and revised exercises, and an extended Further Reading section comprehensively covers key disciplines of linguistics such as historical linguistics, sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics, as well as core areas in language study including acquisition, standardisation and the globalisation of English uses a wide variety of real texts and images from around the world, including a Monty Python sketch, excerpts from novels such as Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, and news items from Metro and the BBC provides updated classic readings by the key names in the discipline, including Guy Cook, Andy Kirkpatrick and Zoltán Dörnyei is accompanied by a website with extra activities, project ideas for each unit, suggestions for further reading, links to essential English language resources, and course templates for lecturers. Written by two experienced teachers and authors, this accessible textbook is an essential resource for all students of the English language and linguistics.