Liberated this book from the "book telephone booth" at Murphy's Law (Irish Pub) in Erlangen, Bayern, Germany during yesterday's meetup.

Blurb
The book introduces the reader to the central areas of English linguistics. The main sections are: the English language and linguistics - sounds - meaning-carrying units - sentences: models of grammar - meaning - utterances - variation. Notably, the book is written from a foreign student's perspective of the English language, i.e. aspects relevant to foreign language teaching receive particular attention. A great deal of emphasis is put on the insights to be gained from the analysis of corpora, especially with respect to the idiomatic character of language (idiom principle, valency approach). In addition, the text offers basic facts about the history of the language and elaborates on the differences between British and American English.

The author demonstrates that a linguistic fact can usually be described in more than one way. To this end, each section contains a chapter written for beginners providing a broad outline and introducing the basic terminology. The remaining chapters in each section highlight linguistic facts in more detail and give an idea of how particular theories account for them.

This book can be used both from the first semester onwards and as perfect study aid for final B.A.-examinations.

Key features
• comprehensive introduction to the basics of English linguistics
• written in an accessible and reader-friendly style
• all sections contain chapters specifically adressing beginners
• perfect tool for preparing for B.A.-examinations

With this accessible, informative book I really struck gold. I learned a lot - not so much about English (a language I'm learning/studying since more than 45 years now), but about linguistics in general. The author demonstrates several times that there's more than one way to skin a linguistic cat. Wouldn't you think that the terms "word" or "meaning" are clear and simple to understand? Well, not quite. After reading this book, I find language an even more fascinating topic than before.

Quotable Quote
It is generally understood that the task of linguists is
- to describe how people speak and
- not to tell them how to speak.

This has not always been so. In fact, in the past, it was quite common for grammarians to take a normative or prescriptive approach by formulating rules which did not reflect the way that the language was actually spoken but stated how, for one reason or another, it ought to be spoken. (Principles of modern linguistics, p. 21)
- - -
efell - Lesechallenge 2022
Block B: Motiv am Cover - 10 Bücher
10. abstrakt

Happy trails!

Meine weiteren heutigen BC-Aktivitäten
• Bücherregal an der Bushaltestelle Kirchweg in Langensendelbach, Bayern Germany
     Eingesammelt
     • Jauche und Levkojen • Christine Brückner
     • Nirgendwo ist Poenichen • Christine Brückner
• Bücherzelle Buckenhof in Buckenhof, Bayern, Germany
     Ausgewildert
     __ Porträt in Sepia • Isabel Allende
     Eingesammelt
     • Daddy Langbein / Lieber Feind • Jean Webster
     • Frankreich • Ulrich Wickert
• Offener Bücherschrank am Marktplatz in Ebermannstadt, Bayern, Germany
     Ausgewildert
     __ ...und kein bißchen weise • Curd Jürgens
     Eingesammelt
     • Der Archipel Gulag • Alexander Solschenizyn
     • Die großen Meister: Deutsche Erzähler des 20. Jahrhunderts. Band 2 • Rolf Hochhuth (Hrsg.)
     • Eines Menschen Zeit / Adam und der Affe • Peter Bamm