A Little Book of Language.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Crystal, David.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Language and languages.

Local Subjects:

Language and languages.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (272 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Sydney : University of NSW Press, 2010.

Summary:

With a language disappearing every two weeks and neologisms springing up almost daily, an understanding of the origins and currency of language has never seemed more relevant. In this charming volume, a narrative history written explicitly for a young audience, expert linguist David Crystal proves why the story of language deserves retelling. From the first words of an infant to the peculiar modern dialect of text messaging, A Little Book of Language ranges widely, revealing language's myriad intricacies and quirks.

Contents:

Contents; Baby-talk; From cries to words; Learning how to understand; Making vibrations; Pronouncing sounds; Discovering grammar; Having a conversation; Learning to read and write; Getting to grips with spelling; Spelling rules and variations; Grammar rules and variations; Accents and dialects; Being bilingual; The languages of the world; The origins of speech; The origins of writing; Modern writing; Sign language; Comparing languages; Dying languages; Language change; Language variation; Language at work; Slang; Dictionaries; Etymology; Place names; Personal names; The electronic revolution

TextingLanguage at play; Untitled; Language for feelings; Political correctness; Language in literature; Developing a style; The complexity of language; Linguistics; Applied linguistics; Your language world; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

ISBN:

1-74223-198-5

OCLC:

1200814646