Handbook Of Linguistics, The

Description:
Presupposing no prior knowledge of linguistics, The Handbook of Linguistics is the ideal resource for people who want to learn about the subject and its subdisciplines. Written by globally recognized leading figures, this Handbook provides a comprehensive and accessible account of the field of linguistics. It begins with a general overview that considers the origins of language, frames the discipline within its historical context, and looks at how linguists acquire new data. It then turns to the traditional subdisciplines of linguistics. This authoritative volume provides a broad yet detailed picture of what is known about language today.

Review:
"Linguistics has long been in need of a collection that summarizes the nature of the field and its various aspects - something at once accessible enough to recommend to non-linguists and substantive enough to give real answers to their questions. Aronoff and Rees-Miller have given us just that, and a number of the surveys they have included will be informative even for specialists. This book should do a major service for the relations between linguists and their colleagues, and among various flavors of linguist as well." Stephen R. Anderson, Yale University "The Blackwell Handbook is a considerable achievement. It addresses general readers, students of linguistics and specialists in linguistic sub-disciplines. It shows both the fluidity of the subject ... and also the large and growing areas of common interest and importance. Students of literature, psychology and philosophy could read many of these chapters with great profit, and it is to be hoped that there will be frequent updatings and further editions as research and understanding advance." Jonathan Katz, Times Literary Supplement "How do Aronoff and Rees-Miller approach the task of enlightenment (or perhaps even proselytization)? Successfully, in my opinion, through a judicious combination of reports on theoretical and applied domains, of items of general and more specialized interest, of traditional and newly-relevant sub-areas, and through a selection of highly competent experts with excellent comunicative skills... If given the broad exposure it deserves, this volume will clearly satisfy its announced goal of permitting the insertion of linguistics topics into educated public discourse. As a result, the editors and authors are to be congratulated for extending this service to the discipline and to the public in general." Canadian Journal of Linguistics

Table of Contents:
List of Contributors. Preface. 1. Origins of Language: Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy. 2. Languages of the World: Bernard Comrie. 3. Writing Systems: Peter T. Daniels. 4. The History of Linguistics: Lyle Campbell. 5. Historical Linguistics: Brian D. Joseph. 6. Field Linguistics: Pamela Munro. 7. Linguistic Phonetics: John Laver. 8. Phonology: Abigail Cohn. 9. Morphology: Andrew Spencer. 10. The Lexicon: D.A. Cruse. 11. Syntax: Mark C. Baker. 12. Generative Grammer: Thomas Wasow. 13. Functional Linguistics: Robert D. Van Valin, Jr. 14. Typology: William Croft. 15. An Introduction to Formal Semantics: Shalom Lappin. 16. Pragmatics: Language and Communication: Ruth Kempson. 17. Discourse Analysis: Agnes Weiyun He. 18. Linguistics and Literature: Nigel Fabb. 19. First Language Acquisition: Brian MacWhinney. 20. Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition: One Person with Two Languages: Vivian Cook. 21. Multilingualism: Suzanne Romaine. 22. Natural Sign Language: Wendy Sandler and Diane Lillo-Martin. 23. Sociolinguistics: Florian Coulmas. 24. Neurolinguistics: David Caplan. 25. Computational Linguistics: Richard Sproat, Christer Samuelsson, Jennifer Chu-Carroll and Bob Carpenter. 26. Applied Linguistics: Janie Rees-Miller. 27. Educational Linguistics: James Paul Gee. 28. Linguistics and Reading: Rebecca Treiman. 29. Clinical Linguistics: David Crystal. 30. Forensic Linguistics: Roger W. Shuy. 31. Translation: Christoph Gutknecht. 32. Language Planning: Frank Anshen. Bibliography. Index.