How you say it : why you talk the way you do and what it says about you / Katherine D. Kinzler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kinzler, Katherine D., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Language and languages--Variation.

Language and languages.

Linguistic change--Social aspects.

Linguistic change.

Languages in contact.

Second language acquisition.

Sociolinguistics.

Physical Description:

xvi, 230 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020.

Summary:

"We gravitate toward people like us; it's human nature. Race, class, and gender affect this social identity, but one overlooked factor can be even more powerful: the way we speak. As pioneering psychologist Katherine Kinzler reveals in How You Say It, that's because our speech largely reflects the voices we heard as children. We can change how we speak to some extent, whether by "code-switching" between dialects or learning a new language. But for the most part we are forever marked by our native tongue-and are hardwired to prejudge others by theirs, often with serious consequences. Your accent alone can determine the economic opportunity or discrimination you encounter in life, making speech one of the most urgent social-justice issues of our day. Ultimately, Kinzler shows, our linguistic differences can also be a force for good. For her research reveals that exposure to different languages is beneficial-a paradox that hints at the benefits we can reap from mastering this ancient source of tribalism"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Chapter 1 How You Speak Is Who You Are p. 1

Your Language Is Your Tribe. Burnouts and Valley Girls. Peers vs. Parents. Who's Afraid of RBG? Remembering in Russian.

Chapter 2 Native Tongues p. 28

Nabokov's Nanny. Give Me a Sign. The Wonder Years. Ghost in the Machine. "I'm Just Not as Funny in English!"

Chapter 3 How Language Divides Us p. 54

Scarlet Letters. Shibboleth. Toward Babel. Ugly Americans. Are People Nicer in the South? Linguistic Insecurity.

Chapter 4 Deep Talk p. 80

Organisms of Nature. Calls of the Wild. Out of Africa. Who Said What? Flurps and Zazzes.

Chapter 5 Little Bigots? p. 101

Mother Tongue. Social Animals. When in Rome. "Julie Isn't Racist!" Aladdin's Accent.

Chapter 6 On The Basis of Speech p. 125

"They Can't Even Speak English". In Talk We Trust. Living; Wage. Communication Skills. Speak Truth.

Chapter 7 A Linguistics Revolution p. 152

The Monolingual Myth. What Language Do You Use to Brush Your Teeth? The Bilingual Bonus. Polyglots Preferred. It's Elementary..

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Kinzler, Katherine D, How you say it

ISBN:

9780544986558

0544986555

9780358172239

0358172233

9780358305248

0358305241

OCLC:

1140353835