Linguistics: A Very Short Introduction
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.30 (510 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0192801481 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 134 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-08-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Matthews is Professor of Linguistics at Cambridge University.. P.H
"Exactly What It Says - "A Very Short Introduction"" according to J. Z. Powell. I am an undergraduate student considering a major in Linguistics. I have always been interested in languages, but never really had any idea what Linguistics was about. This book has given me a wonderfully short introduction to the field, and has spurred my interest enough to pursue a degree.This is "A Very Short Introduction," so (in my humble opinion) I believe reviewers who are giving the book lower ratings had too high expectations. I wasn't expecting a concise introduction into the field of Linguistics or intricate . "A Very Short Introduction to Tedium" according to Troy Parfitt. What’s wrong with linguistics? Linguists. They’re involved in a huge and fascinating field, but bogged down in areas that are mind numbingly dull and don’t seem to tell us much of anything. For instance, do all languages have a universal root? Well, let’s look at commonalities across and between languages, say, Greek and Sanskrit, until we’re bored to tears before admitting what could have prevented such a wasteful exploration in the first place: we don’t know (and even if we did, wha. Good Glimpses into What Linguistics Is About I'm glad I was not deterred by other people's poor reviews of this book. I enjoyed and found it interesting.No, it is not a textbook in linguistics. Rather, it discusses some of the topics and problems linguists deal with. In this it is rather like the Mathematics book in the VSI series -- which does not attempt to teach the reader basic arithmetic or any other branch of math, but gives some insight into what mathemeticians do and why the subject is compelling to its practitioners.While occasionally unclear, this book c
Linguistics falls in the gap between arts and science, on the edges of which the most fascinating discoveries and the most important problems are found. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.. Beginning at the 'arts' end of the subject with the common origins of languages, and finishing at the 'science' end with the newest discoveries regarding language in the brain, this stimulating guide covers all the major aspects of linguistics from a refreshing and insightful angle.About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics
Matthews is Professor of Linguistics at Cambridge University.. About the AuthorP.H