by SuzanneRomaine (Author)
Why have 1500 separate languages developed in the Pacific region? Why do Danes understand Norwegians better than Norwegians understand Danish? Is Ebonics a language or a dialect? Linguistics tends to ignore the relationship between languages and the societies in which they are spoken, while sociology generally overlooks the role of language in the constitution of society. In this book Suzanne Romaine provides a clear, lively, and accessible introduction to the field of sociolinguistics and emphasizes the constant interaction between society and language, discussing both traditional and recent issues including: language and social class, language and gender, language and education, and pidgins and creoles. The text shows how our linguistic choices are motivated by social factors, and how certain ways of speaking come to be vested with symbolic value and includes examples drawing on studies of cultures and languages all over the world. This new edition incorporates new material on current issues in the study of gender as well as other topics such as the linguistic dimension to the ethnic conflict in the Balkans, and the controversy over Ebonics in the United States.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 256
Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
Published: 01 Jan 1994
ISBN 10: 0198751346
ISBN 13: 9780198751342
An engaging introductory book, easy to read and accessible enough for undergraduate students while being current and detailed enough for a graduate level introductory courses....A good substitute for Trudgill's....My students were also pleased with the affordability of the text. --Joaquin S. Vila, Mankato State University
Provides an excellent foundation for students in introductory courses. Excellent resource to supplement multicultural courses in speech-language pathology and audiology. --Adele Proctor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
An up-to-date, somtimes issue oriented, and very readable introductory text. Good examples used. --Brian Stross, University of Texas
Would recommend this book strongly as a general introduction to the study of language....It should be read before books on syntax or others on 'sociolinguistics' because it clearly lays before the reader the essentials of language as a tool for communication in a human context. Readable and informative. --Robert Austerlitz, Columbia University
This appears to be an ideal text for my course, Language and Culture. --Harold R. Battersby, SUNY-Geneseo
This book is a valuable introduction to the field of sociolinguistics for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students. It is a readable yet thorough study which offers both the traditional viewpoint and alternative perspectives on a still rather young' discipline. --Language In Society