Description: This is the book for anyone who has ever wondered how language influences thought, how language impacts on our daily life, and how power is perpetuated through language. Written in a lively way and drawing on examples from everyday life, each chapter provides an introduction to a social or political issue in language study, such as:* language use in politics and the media* language use according to gender, ethnicity, age and class* how language affects and constructs our identities* the significance of our attitudes toward language use and our notions of correctness.The book contains numerous exercises, end of chapter summaries and a glossary of key terms.The authors encourage the reader to look beyond language as a form of information exchange and to consider the wider issues of the relationship between language and culture. Highly interdisciplinary, it will be essential for students of English language and linguistics from introductory or A-level upward. It is also of great relevance to students of media, communication, cultural studies, sociology and psychology.

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