Linguistics
Why It Matters
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Polity Press
Publishing:4th Dec '26
£9.99
This title is due to be published on 4th December, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£40.00(9781509575145)
Language is the medium in which we humans compose our thoughts, explain our thinking, construct our arguments, and create works of literature. Without language, societies as complex as ours could not exist.
In this new edition of his widely acclaimed book, Geoffrey Pullum offers a stimulating account of the many ways in which the study of linguistics matters. With its close relationships to psychology, education, philosophy, and computer science, the subject has a compelling human story to tell about the ways in which different societies see and describe the world.
Now updated to include discussion of the outsized impact of rapidly accelerating current events, including large language models, Pullum's new edition reveals how the far-reaching applications of linguistics (from law to medicine and from developmental psychology to artificial intelligence) are more pertinent than ever.
"Geoff Pullum's book is the best sort of introduction to a field. First, you learn something new and interesting on every page. And second, once you've finished reading it, you're inspired to find out more about this fascinating discipline."
Ben Yagoda, University of Delaware
"Geoff Pullum makes a compelling case that the scientific study of human language continues to be essential for understanding our species and our society."
Justine Cassell, Carnegie Mellon University
ISBN: 9781509575152
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
144 pages
2nd edition