Descripciones mejoradas de Syndetics:

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 questions which concern linguists, setting out what the key issues are in trying to find suitable answers. Although the issues are discussed within the framework of modern linguistics, they are treated in a 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. Book jacket.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Preface(p. vii)
• 1 How might we talk about 'talk'?(p. 1)
• 1.1 Some traditional views(p. 1)
• 1.2 A more promising approach(p. 7)
• 1.3 A variety of possibilities(p. 12)
• 1.4 Still wider considerations(p. 18)
• 1.5 Further issues(p. 27)
• 2 Do only humans talk?(p. 34)
• 2.1 Mainly of birds and bees(p. 36)
• 2.2 Talking apes?(p. 42)
• 2.3 The 'language' issue(p. 56)
• 2.4 The 'continuity' issue(p. 61)
• 3 Are we 'wired' for language?(p. 67)
• 3.1 Are mouths and ears important?(p. 69)
• 3.2 The puzzle of the brain(p. 82)
• 4 Does the mind matter?(p. 94)
• 4.1 'Behaviour' and 'mind'(p. 94)
• 4.2 Taking in what we hear(p. 98)
• 4.3 Memories are made of what?(p. 107)
• 4.4 Getting our words out(p. 115)
• 4.5 Some general issues(p. 118)
• 5 Why do languages vary so?(p. 130)
• 5.1 Speaking a language differently(p. 133)
• 5.2 Relating different languages(p. 145)
• 5.3 Other types of variation(p. 157)
• 5.4 Is variety useful?(p. 166)
• 6 Of what use is language?(p. 168)
• 6.1 Language as action(p. 170)
• 6.2 Language in action(p. 179)
• 6.3 The functions of language(p. 190)
• 6.4 Can language use us?(p. 197)
• 7 How do we 'learn' a language?(p. 208)
• 7.1 'Facts' to be explained(p. 210)
• 7.2 What does 'learning theory' tell us?(p. 216)
• 7.3 Is the 'mind' in control?(p. 223)
• 7.4 Is language ability 'innate'?(p. 232)
• 7.5 What we do 'learn'(p. 239)
• 8 Describing language(p. 250)
• Glossary of language terms(p. 264)
• Further reading(p. 273)
• References(p. 275)
• Index(p. 288)

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