Language: The Basics - Softcover

Why is the study of language so much fun?
The full title is 'Language: The Basics'. I call this my 'bedtime book', because my then editor told me that her boyfriend was reading the book in bed -- perhaps not exactly what she was hoping for when she commissioned the book. This is not a comprehensive textbook. It is a popular introduction, designed to persuade readers that the study of language is enjoyable and fascinating. How did h-dropping happen? How can the word 'nurse' wreck a social occasion? Do women really speak differently from men? Why is Norwegian two different languages? What are sign languages like? These are the kinds of questions examined in the book. I think you'll like it.

R. L. Trask is currently lecturer in linguistics at the University of Sussex.