The Mill on the Floss
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The Study of Language
Designed for beginners, this best-selling textbook provides a lively introduction to the study of language. Starting from the basics, it provides a solid foundation in all of the essential topics, and introduces the analysis of the key elements of language – sounds, words, structures and meanings. A wide range of fascinating questions are explored, such as how conversation works, how children learn language, why women and men speak differently, and how language varies between regions and social groups. This third edition has been extensively revised to include new sections on important contemporary issues in language study, including language and culture, African American English, gestures and slang. A comprehensive glossary provides useful explanations of technical terms, and each chapter contains a range of new study questions and research tasks, with suggested answers. Unrivalled in its popularity, The Study of Language is quite simply the best introduction to the field available today. has taught Linguistics at the Universities of Edinburgh, Hawai’i, Louisiana State and Minnesota. He is the author of Discourse Analysis (with Gillian Brown, 1983), Teaching the Spoken Language (with Gillian Brown, 1983), Pragmatics (1996) and Explaining English Grammar (1998).
The Study of Language
THIRD EDITION
GEORGE YULE
cambridge university press Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge cb2 2ru, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521835572 © George Yule 2006 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge
The Study of Language
Designed for beginners, this best-selling textbook provides a lively introduction to the study of language. Starting from the basics, it provides a solid foundation in all of the essential topics, and introduces the analysis of the key elements of language – sounds, words, structures and meanings. A wide range of fascinating questions are explored, such as how conversation works, how children learn language, why women and men speak differently, and how language varies between regions and social groups. This third edition has been extensively revised to include new sections on important contemporary issues in language study, including language and culture, African American English, gestures and slang. A comprehensive glossary provides useful explanations of technical terms, and each chapter contains a range of new study questions and research tasks, with suggested answers. Unrivalled in its popularity, The Study of Language is quite simply the best introduction to the field available today. has taught Linguistics at the Universities of Edinburgh, Hawai’i, Louisiana State and Minnesota. He is the author of Discourse Analysis (with Gillian Brown, 1983), Teaching the Spoken Language (with Gillian Brown, 1983), Pragmatics (1996) and Explaining English Grammar (1998).
The Study of Language
THIRD EDITION
GEORGE YULE
cambridge university press Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge cb2 2ru, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521835572 © George Yule 2006 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge