Product Description
Language, Society and Communication – An Introduction (2nd edition)
Authors: Z Bock, G Mheta
Format: Physical Hardcopy
We live in a multilingual, transforming society in which language plays a dynamic and central role. We use it every day for communication and it is not possible to imagine life without it – it is generally recognised as a mark of what makes us human.
But how often do we think about exactly what language is and how we actually use it? Language, Society and Communication introduces established and new linguistic concepts and theories, and links these to contemporary issues in society and the media, including new social media, with a particular focus on southern Africa.
Language, Society and Communication explores how language is intricately bound up with issues of power, status and identity. It explores the tension between the diverse nature of everyday language practices, on the one hand, and the societal pressures towards managing and containing this diversity, on the other.
It also demonstrates the relevance of linguistic study (e.g. phonology and syntax) to real-world problems (e.g. analysis of a child’s acquisition of language), within a southern African context. Study questions and case studies, which relate the theoretical ideas discussed to current research, are provided at the end of each chapter.
Language, Society and Communication is aimed at students studying linguistics, language and communication, and related fields such as language education.
Contents:
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PART 1 LANGUAGE AS COMMUNICATION Introduction to Part 1 Language as communication
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Chapter 1 Communication in context
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Chapter 2 Approaches to communication
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Chapter 3 Introduction to semiotics
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PART 2 FORMAL ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE Introduction to Part 2 The structure of language
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Chapter 4 Phonetics: the study of human speech sounds
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Chapter 5 Phonology: sound patterns in languages
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Chapter 6 Morphology: how words are formed
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Chapter 7 Syntax: from words to sentences
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PART 3 LANGUAGE LEARNING Introduction to Part 3 Language development Chapter 8 First language acquisition Chapter 10 Language attrition
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PART 4 FROM LANGUAGES TO LANGUAGING Introduction to Part 4 From languages to languaging
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Chapter 11 Language, society, diversity
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Chapter 12 Language families and typologies
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Chapter 13 Language standardisation
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Chapter 14 Language contact and languaging
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Chapter 15 Linguistic diversity and its discontents
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PART 5 LANGUAGE, IDENTITY AND PLACE Introduction to Part 5 Language, identity and place
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Chapter 16 Language and identity
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Chapter 17 Branding
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Chapter 18 Linguistic landscapes
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PART 6 FINALE Chapter 19 Language study and the professions
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