Description: This second edition of R. L. Trask's Language: The Basics, provides a concise introduction to the study of language. Written in an engaging and entertaining style, it encourages the reader to think about the way language works. Fully updated and revised, it now contains a chapter on language usage which introduces pragmatics, metaphor, speech and writing, and discourse analysis, a section on sign language, a glossary of key terms, and an expanded further reading section. Trask also addresses issues such as the uniqueness of the human language, language and meaning, variation in language, change in language, learning a first language and attitudes toward language. Language: The Basics provides an accessible overview of a fascinating subject. It is an essential book for anyone who's ever been accused of splitting an infinitive.

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