This book will serve to provide the reader with the communicative and language skills necessary to function in modern society, discussing the language and communication enterprise within the current usages of the modern English language. It identifies the descriptive functioning of language, as well as the communicative processes involved in its usage. The book takes a new look at traditional language skills from a modern perspective, focusing on their importance as communication tools for the twenty-first century learner of the English language. The reality of technology as part of the modern life is also brought to bear on the discussions in the book, showing that its application to reading can serve to fast-track the mastery of reading efficiency. As the book will serve to make the user of the English language in the twenty-first century effective in all their endeavours that require its usage, it will be particularly useful for learners of English as a second language.

Presents eight specially written chapters which provide a coherent survey of major issues in the study of language and communication, and which show how these are related to questions of practical concern in the learning and teaching of second and foreign languages. The issues discussed have been selected primarily for their relevance to applied linguistics, and there is a unifying interest in how language reflects the communicative functions it performs as well as in the process involved in using language for communication. Each chapter presents a self-contained survey of a central issue, is prefaced by an introduction linking the different perspectives, and is followed by discussion questions to aid effective use of the text in applied linguistics courses.

Beginning with the phonetic approach to communication, this introduction to the study of language examines in detail the physiology of speech and hearing, the applicability of statistics, the structuring of languages and social aspects of communication.

Examines communication in the classroom within the larger context of the development of standard English and its social implications.

From Language to Communication focuses on the structure of texts and on the social and psychological aspects of language. Utilizing current thinking and research, this volume provides an overview of issues in linguistics, sociolinguistics, cognition, pragmatics, discourse, and semantics as they coalesce to create the communicative experience. As a unique examination of the relationship between language and communication, key features of the second edition include: * material on the biological bases of language, * models of the mind and information processing, * discussions of semantics and the creation of new words, * conversation analysis with practical applications, and * a chapter on sociolinguistics, including language and groups, dialects, and personal styles. Designed as an introduction to language and communication study, this text is appropriate for use in undergraduate and graduate courses in discourse and related courses in language, meaning, and messages. It also makes an excellent companion volume for courses in theory or interpersonal communication. ADDITIONAL COPY FOR MAILER More readable and practical than its predecessor, this second edition contains major additions: * A more general introduction to language and communication, including new material on the biological bases of language as well as a table of species comparisons and brain comparisons. * New models of the mind and how you process information, including more on the role of short and long term memory. It also includes a section on the features of messages that aid in comprehension--in other words, how people use the messages of another to build meaning and comprehension. * A new section on semantics, new words and how they come about, and a more interesting treatment of meaning and how it works. The section on new words details the many ways that new words come into being. The examples are interesting and engaging for the student. * A new focus on pragmatics with a major new section on conversation analysis which includes very practical ways to apply the principles with numerous examples. * A new chapter on sociolinguistics includes material on language and groups (including gender, African-American English, and social class) dialects, personal styles, and related issues.

There is, at present, no book introducing the general issue of why language is specific to human beings, how it works, why language is not communication and communication is not language, why languages vary and how they evolved. Based on the most recent works in linguistics and pragmatics, Why Language? addresses many questions that everyone has about language. Starting from false claims about language and languages, showing that language is not communication and communication is not language, the first part (Language and Communication) ends by proposing a difference between linguistic rules and communicative principles. The second part (Language, Society, Discourse) includes domains of language and language uses which are generally taken as extrinsic to language, such as language variety, discourse and non-ordinary (literary) usages. Special attention is given to figures of discourse (metaphor, metonymy, irony) and literary usages such as narration and free indirect style. The reader, either specialist or amateur in language science, will find a first and unique synthesis about what we know today about language and what we have yet to learn, sketching what could be the future of linguistics in the next decades.

'Communication, Language and Literacy From Birth to Five' helps the reader develop their knowledge, skills and practice in encouraging and promoting communication, language and literacy for babies and young children.