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Introducing English Linguistics
Are you looking for a genuine introduction to the linguistics of English
that provides a broad overview of the subject, that sustains students’
interest and avoids excessive detail? Introducing English Linguistics
plishes this goal in two ways. First, unlike traditional texts, it takes
a top-down approach to language, beginning with the largest unit of
linguistic structure, the text, and working its way down through
essively smaller structures (sentences, words, and finally speech
sounds). The advantage of presenting language this way is that students
are first given the larger picture – they study language in context – and
then as the class progresses, they see how the smaller pieces of language
are really a consequence of the larger goals of munication.
Second, Introducing English Linguistics does not contain invented examples,
as is the case with parable texts, but instead takes its sample
materials from the puterized databases of spoken and written
English, giving students a more realistic view of language.
CHARLES F. MEYER is Professor in the Department of Applied Linguistics at
the University of Massachusetts, Boston. His recent publications include
English Corpus Linguistics: An Introduction (Cambridge, 2002).
Cambridge Introductions to Language and Linguistics
This new textbook series provides students and their teachers with accessible introductions to the major sub-
jects encountered within the study of language and linguistics. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject,
each book is written and designed for ease of use in the classroom or seminar, and is ideal for adoption on a
modular course as the core mended textbook. Each book offers the ideal introductory material for
each subject, presenting students with an overview of the main topics encountered in their course, and fea-
tures a glossary of useful terms, chapter previews and summaries, suggestions for fur