How English Works: A Linguistic Introduction

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This accessible introduction to the structure of English, general theories in linguistics, and important issues in sociolinguistics, is the first text written specifically for English and Education majors.

This engaging introductory language/linguistics textbook provides more extensive coverage of issues of particular interest to English majors and future English instructors. It invites all students to connect academic linguistics to the everyday use of the English language around them. The book's approach taps students' natural curiosity about the English language. Through exercises and discussion questions about ongoing changes in English, How English Works asks students to become active participants in the construction of linguistic knowledge.

Contenu
Brief Contents

Glossary

Inside Front Cover Dialect Map of American English, Consonant Phonemes of American English, Vowel Phonemes of American English

Inside Back Cover Brief Timeline for the History of the English Language

Detailed Contents

List of Symbols, Linguistic Conventions, and Common Abbreviations

What's New to This Edition

Preface to Instructors

Letter to Students

Chapter 1 A Language like English

Chapter 2 Language and Authority

Chapter 3 English Phonology

Chapter 4 English Morphology

Chapter 5 English Syntax: The Grammar of Words

Chapter 6 English Syntax: Phrases, Clauses, and Sentences

Chapter 7 Semantics

Chapter 8 Spoken Discourse

Chapter 9 Stylistics

Chapter 10 Language Acquisition

Chapter 11 Language Variation

Chapter 12 American Dialects

Chapter 13 History of English: Old to Early Modern English

Chapter 14 History of English: Modern and Future English

Bibliography

Credits

Index

Detailed Table of Contents

Glossary

Inside Front Cover Consonant Phonemes of English, Vowel Phonemes of English, Phonetic Alphabet for American English

Inside Back Cover Brief Timeline for the History of the English Language

List of Symbols, Linguistic Conventions, and Common Abbreviations xviii

What's New to This Edition

Preface to Instructors

Letter to Students

Chapter 1 A Language Like English

The Story of Aks

Language, Language Everywhere

The Power of Language

Name Calling

Judging by Ear

A Question to Discuss: What Makes Us Hear an Accent?

The System of Language

Arbitrariness and Systematicity

A Scholar to Know: Ferdinand de Saussure (18571913)

Creativity

Grammar

Linguistics

Human Language versus Animal Communication

Birds and Bees

Chimps and Bonobos

Distinctive Characteristics of Human Language

The Process of Language Change

Language Genealogies

A Question to Discuss: Can Your Language Peeves Be Rethought?

Mechanics of Language Change

Progress or Decay?

Special Focus: Attitudes about Language Change

Summary

Suggested Reading

Exercises

Chapter 2 Language and Authority

Who Is in Control?

Language Academies

Language Mavens

A Question to Discuss: Does the SAT Know Good Grammar from Bad?

Defining Standard English

Descriptive versus Prescriptive Grammar Rules

Case Study One: Multiple Negatives

Case Study Two: Ain't

Case Study Three: Who and Whom<