Description

Linguistics for Non-Linguists, Fourth Edition, is a highly readable introductory text that presents students with the basic elements of linguistics in a clear and concise style that any beginner will understand.

This newly revised edition continues to expand on the success of earlier editions, taking a subject that is generally considered quite complicated and making it accessible to virtually anyone who requires a basic understanding of linguistics. The authors illustrate major concepts in an easy-to-read style, giving students and specialists in language-related fields an introduction to the essential principles and methods of linguistic theory. Non-linguistics majors will also find this book user-friendly, with a wealth of exercises and references interspersed throughout to help reinforce concepts.

Specialists in language-related fields, including Speech-Language Pathology, Experimental Phonetics, Communication, Education, Psychology, and English as a Second Language, will find this text a must-have reference for all courses.

Features

• Hundreds of exercises distributed throughout the text, immediately after the concepts they are related to, help reinforce the material just learned.

• Supplementary Exercises at the end of each chapter provide additional opportunities to expand on the chapter material. Provides answers to selected exercises to help students check their work and offers an Instructor's Manual with Answer Key to all exercises.

• Filled with clear explanations, charts, tables, and illustrations.

• “Supplementary Readings” at the end of each chapter provide students with both classic and current resources about chapter concepts.

New to this Edition

• New chapter on language change.

• Updated material throughout.

• Many new exercises, ranging from short-answer problems to suggestions for out-of-class projects.

• Updated “Supplementary Readings” providing additional information about each topic.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

 

 

Preface ix

 

CHAPTER ONE: Introduction 1

 

CHAPTER TWO: Pragmatics 4

 

IMPLICATURE 5

Conversational Maxims 5

SPEECH ACTS 7

A Taxonomy of Illocutionary Acts 8

Felicity Conditions 9

Explicit versus Nonexplicit Illocutionary Acts 11

Direct versus Indirect Illocutionary Acts 13

Expressed versus Implied Locutionary Acts 16

Literal versus Nonliteral Locutionary Acts 18

Overview of Speech Act Theory 19

 

SUMMARY 21

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS 21

SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES 21

EXPLORATORY EXERCISES 24

 

 

CHAPTER THREE: Semantics 26

 

BACKGROUND 27

SENSE 29

REFERENCE 34

TRUTH 38

 

SUMMARY 43

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS 44

SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES 44

EXPLORATORY EXERCISES 46

 

CHAPTER FOUR: Syntax 47

 

CATEGORIES 48

LEFT-TO-RIGHT ORDERING 49

CONSTITUENT STRUCTURE 53

X-BAR SYNTAX 60

TRANSFORMATIONS 63

 

Movement 65

Constraints on Movement 69

 

SUMMARY 72

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS 72

SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES 72

EXPLORATORY EXERCISE 78

 

 

CHAPTER FIVE : Morphology 79

 

MORPHEMES 80

LEXICAL AND GRAMMATICAL MORPHEMES 82

FREE AND BOUND MORPHEMES 82

INFLECTIONAL AND DERIVATIONAL MORPHEMES 83

Inflectional Affixes 83

Derivational Affixes 88

Differences between Types of Affixes 89

 

WORD-FORMATION PROCESSES 93

SUMMARY 95

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS 95

SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES 96

EXPLORATORY EXERCISES 98

 

CHAPTER SIX: Phonology 99

 

VOCAL TRACT 100

SEGMENTS 101

PHONEMIC ALPHABET 102

Vowels 102

Consonants 105

LEVELS OF REPRESENTATION 110

PHONOLOGICAL RULES 113

Aspiration 113

Vowel Lengthening 115

Vowe

Back Cover

Linguistics for Non-Linguists, Fifth Edition, makes linguistics accessible to beginners by providing a clear understanding of both the basic and more complex aspects of the challenging subject.

 

This newly revised edition continues to be a readable and user-friendly introductory text that presents the basic elements of linguistics clearly and concisely. Beginning with recognizable topics and gradually moving readers into unfamiliar, technical territory, this text makes the subject matter approachable and understandable for all readers. Including summaries of complex topics, supplementary readings, and hundreds of supplementary and exploratory exercises throughout the text that reinforce the material covered, Linguistics for Non-Linguists offers students a complete understanding of the basics of this critical field.

  Specialists in language-related fields including Speech-Language Pathology, Experimental Phonetics, Communication, Education, Psychology, and English as a Second Language, will find this text an essential resource and reference.

 

The New, Fifth Edition Includes:

 

• An entirely new chapter on Language Change
• New exercises ranging from short-answer problems to exploratory exercises that allow students to check their progress and to continue to research critical topics.
• Updated “Supplementary Readings” sections that keep the material up-to-date and provide opportunities to expand on chapter material.