OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

User login

Sociolinguistics: A Very Short Introduction [#365]
Sociolinguistics: A Very Short Introduction [#365]
¥1,969
(incl.tax)
  • Acquaints the educated non-specialist with the social life of language
  • Offers the most up-to-date brief overview of sociolinguistics, in a nuanced approach which considers perspectives both historical and contemporary, "micro" and "macro," and the ways in which these intertwine
  • Addresses the social and political dynamics of names and naming, as well as questions about the relationship between language, gender, and religion

  
This Very Short Introduction deals with the social life of language: language in its sociocultural context. The field ranges from micro-analyses to broadly-based policy and planning undertakings. As such, this book draws from sociolinguistics, the sociology of language, and psycholinguistics. The relationship between language and identity - whether of an individual or a group - is a strong thread linking all the topics covered in the book. The "ordinary," instrumental, communicative aspects of language cannot be adequately understood without paying attention to the "symbolic" features that powerfully underpin feelings and attributions of "groupness" and "belonging." The book therefore focuses more on macro sociological areas than to fine-grained analyses of variation in linguistic features (though the latter are not ignored).
 
Edwards explains the differential social evaluations of languages and dialects, how names (and naming) are much more than simple designations, why some languages come to dominate others, as well as questions about the relationship between language and gender, sexist language, the language of poverty, the intertwining of language and religion, and politically driven language planning and policy. These matters have always been timely and of great social interest. The book demonstrates the connections and continuities that exist within the language arena in which we all participate, and about which all of us have opinions, preferences and prejudices. This is the first short treatment that acquaints the educated non-specialist with the social life of language. 
  
  
Reading Guide
  
  

Index: 

List of illustrations
1: Coming to Terms
2: Variation and Change
3: Perceptions of Language
4: Protecting Language
5: Languages Great and Small
6: Loyalty, Maintenance, Shift, Loss and Revival
7: In a World of Language
8: Name, Sex and Religion
References
Further Reading
Index

About the author: 

John Edwards is Professor of Psychology at St. Francis Xavier University, in Nova Scotia. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and editor of the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. His recent books include Challenges in the Social Life of Language and Multilingualism: Understanding Linguistic Diversity.

"The author's degrees in psychology allow him to effectively examine the intersections between human behavior and language. Although the content of the book is introductory, the scholarly writing style makes it appropriate for advanced students in sociolinguistics courses." -- K.C. Williams, Mercyhurst University, CHOICE

Product details

ISBN : 9780199858613

Author: 
John Edwards
Pages
152 Pages
Format
Paperback
Size
111 x 174 mm
Pub date
Aug 2013
Series
Very Short Introductions
Customer reviews
0
(0)

You may also like

Customer reviews

0
0
0件

まだレビューはありません

The price listed on this page is the recommended retail price for Japan. When a discount is applied, the discounted price is indicated as “Discount price”. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sociolinguistics: A Very Short Introduction [#365]

Sociolinguistics: A Very Short Introduction [#365]

Sociolinguistics: A Very Short Introduction [#365]