Language Matters A Guide to Everyday Questions About Language

by Napoli, Donna Jo

• ISBN13: 9780195160482
• ISBN10: 0195160487
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-03-27
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Is Ebonics really a dialect or simply bad English? Do women and men speakdifferently? Will computers ever really learn human language? Does offensivelanguage harm children? These are only a few of the issues surrounding languagethat crop up every day. Most of us have very definite opinions on thesequestions one way or another. Yet as linguist Donna Jo Napoli points out inthis short and highly entertaining volume, many of our most deeply held ideasabout the nature of language and its role in our lives are either misconceivedor influenced by myths and stereotypesNapoli provides an entertaining tour through the world of language, examiningthese and other vexing and controversial language-related questions. Throughout,she encourages and leads the reader to use common-sense and everyday experiencerather than preconceived notions or technical linguistic expertise. Both herquestions and her conclusions are surprising, sometimes provocative, and alwaysentertaining. This volume is sure to engage both general readers and students oflanguage and linguistics at any level.

Author Biography

Donna Jo Napoli is Professor of Linguistics at Swarthmore College, author of Linguistics and Syntax (both published by Oxford University Press), and a well known author of children's books. Her website is www.donnajonapoli.com.

Table of Contents

part I Language: The Human Ability
How do we acquire language?	3	(14)
From one language to the next: Why is it hard to learn a second language? Why is translation so difficult?	17	(21)
Does language equal thought?	38	(14)
Are sign languages real languages?	52	(20)
Do animals have language?	72	(15)
Can computers learn language?	87	(12)
part II Language in Society
Whose speech is better?	99	(22)
Why do dialects and creoles differ from standard language?	121	(14)
Do men and women speak differently? And who cares?	135	(11)
English spelling is hard, and it makes learning to read hard. Should we do anything about it?	146	(17)
Should the United States adopt English as our official language and overhaul our educational system accordingly?	163	(16)
Does exposure to and use of offensive language harm children?	179	(14)
Index	193