The Workings of Language
eBook - PDF

The Workings of Language

From Prescriptions to Perspectives

  1. 264 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

The Workings of Language

From Prescriptions to Perspectives

About this book

The essays in this book help to make sense of the workings of language in our everyday world—on the personal, local, national, and international levels. The authors are all linguists, seeking to help readers free themselves of language prejudices, thus opening the way to better informed views on the function of language in society, a more balanced treatment in schools, and more linguistically-sound public policies. Defusing Chicken-Little prognostications about English, this volume suggests that dark claims about language are not to be taken at face value. Instead, these claims function as a signal: time to step back. Offering just such a time-out, eminent linguists explore the fuller picture underlying language in our society, examining prescriptivism, Black English, Ozark English, American Sign Language, English-Only, and Endangered Languages. After helping stomp out such linguistic fires, the linguists showcase the potent workings of language: world englishes, language and politics, media, prejudice, creativity, gender, and humor, thus opening the way to better informed views on the function of language in schools, and more linguistically sound public policies.

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Yes, you can access The Workings of Language by Rebecca S. Wheeler in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Languages & Linguistics & Linguistics. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Table of contents

  1. Contents
  2. Introduction
  3. I. Ways of Talking
  4. II. Englishes, English-only, and Languages in Danger of Extinction
  5. III. Language and Politics, Prejudice, the Media, Creativity, Humor, and Gender
  6. Index
  7. About the Editor and Contributors