Investigating Language Central Problems in Linguistics

by Wardhaugh, Ronald

• ISBN13: 9780631187547
• ISBN10: 0631187545
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1991-01-16
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This book is intended for anyone with a serious interest in language, but particularly for students taking introductory courses in language and linguistics. It is not a catalogue of facts and theories but a book about ideas and issues. Rather than summarize the range of research being conducted in linguistics today, it explores a number of the fundamental key questions which concern linguists, they are treated in way that is as accessible as possible. The book includes a glossary of technical terms and a chapter outlining the way language is described in generative grammar.

Author Biography

Ronald Wardhaugh is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Toronto.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
How might we talk about 'talk'?	p. 1
Some traditional views	p. 1
A more promising approach	p. 7
A variety of possibilities	p. 12
Still wider considerations	p. 18
Further issues	p. 27
Do only humans talk?	p. 34
Mainly of birds and bees	p. 36
Talking apes?	p. 42
The 'language' issue	p. 56
The 'continuity' issue	p. 61
Are we 'wired' for language?	p. 67
Are mouths and ears important?	p. 69
The puzzle of the brain	p. 82
Does the mind matter?	p. 94
'Behaviour' and 'mind'	p. 94
Taking in what we hear	p. 98
Memories are made of what?	p. 107
Getting our words out	p. 115
Some general issues	p. 118
Why do languages vary so?	p. 130
Speaking a language differently	p. 133
Relating different languages	p. 145
Other types of variation	p. 157
Is variety useful?	p. 166
Of what use is language?	p. 168
Language as action	p. 170
Language in action	p. 179
The functions of language	p. 190
Can language use us?	p. 197
How do we 'learn' a language?	p. 208
'Facts' to be explained	p. 210
What does 'learning theory' tell us?	p. 216
Is the 'mind' in control?	p. 223
Is language ability 'innate'?	p. 232
What we do 'learn'	p. 239
Describing language	p. 250
Glossary of language terms	p. 264
Further reading	p. 273
References	p. 275
Index	p. 288
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