Language Arts & Disciplines - Linguistics - Sociolinguistics

More so than most other Polynesian languages, the Samoan language is highly stratified. The common spoken form of Samoan used among friends and peers, for example, would be inappropriate for public speaking at both traditional and non-traditional gatherings. At these kinds of events, Gagana...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From linguist Adam Aleksic, known as @etymologynerd on social media, comes a captivating exploration of how internet algorithms are transforming language and communication in unprecedented ways. "Packed with fascinating facts, of-the-moment observations, and a sparkling voice, Algospeak is a...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - From linguist Adam Aleksic, known as @etymologynerd on social media, comes a captivating exploration of how internet algorithms are transforming language and communication in unprecedented ways. "Packed with fascinating facts, of-the-moment observations, and a sparkling voice, Algospeak is a...

"An abridged edition of 'the most comprehensive and clearly written dictionary of sign language ever published.'" -- Los Angeles TimesDeaf since the age of seven, Martin L. A. Sternberg, Ed.D., spent most of his career working with deaf people. Inspired by his sign language...

Dennis Bouvard's Anthropomorphics is the inauguration of a meta-discipline: a strategy for entering and transforming the secular disciplines.Where challenges to liberalism often accept some degree of the liberal frame, Bouvard strikes at the very root. Starting with the signifying center rather than agents alienated...

A SUNDAY TIMES AND TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR "Masterly and brilliant"--Simon Sebag Montefiore "A book of vast scope and stunning insight."--Anthony Sattin, Spectator "Commanding erudition and a swashbuckling style define this history of the Arabs"--Justin Marozzi, Sunday Times This kaleidoscopic book covers almost...

Thirteen autobiographical accounts of language revitalization, ranging from Irish Gaelic to Mohawk, Kawaiisu to Māori, are brought together by Leanne Hinton, professor emerita of linguistics at UC Berkeley.Throughout the world individuals in the intimacy of their homes innovate, improvise, and struggle daily to pass...

Bullshit isn't what it used to be. Now, two science professors give us the tools to dismantle misinformation and think clearly in a world of fake news and bad data. "A modern classic . . . a straight-talking survival guide to the mean streets...

NOW IN PAPERBACK--AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"One of those life-changing reads that makes you see--or, in this case, hear--the whole world differently." --Megan Angelo, author of Followers"At times chilling, often funny, and always perceptive and cogent, Cultish is a bracing reminder that the...

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"One of those life-changing reads that makes you see--or, in this case, hear--the whole world differently." --Megan Angelo, author of Followers"At times chilling, often funny, and always perceptive and cogent, Cultish is a bracing reminder that the scariest thing about...

A history of the rich culture of the Gullah people-a story of upheaval, endurance, and survival in the Lowcountry of the American South.Gullah Culture in America chronicles the history and culture of the Gullah people, African Americans who live in the Lowcountry region of...

For anyone who has ever wondered why English is so weird, an entertaining and expert tour of the most puzzling parts of our language. Maybe you've been speaking English all your life, or maybe you learned it later on. But whether you use it...

Amid worldwide accounts of dying languages, author Leanne Hinton and a group of dedicated language activists are doing something about it: they have created a master-apprentice language program, a one-on-one approach that has been remarkably successful in ensuring new speakers will take the place...

Unmasking the rituals and cultural norms that define communities of artificial intelligence (AI) workers, Humans of AI demonstrates that there would be no AI without human intervention.Not a day goes by without breathless commentary on the increasing power of this innovative technology. Hype flows...

For anyone who enjoys reading memoirs--or is thinking about writing one--this collection offers a master class from nine distinguished authors, including Annie Dillard, Frank McCourt, and others. The events, memories, and emotions of the past often resist the orderly structure of a book. Inventing...

A labourer, journalist and a professor who lived through four successive periods of German political history - from the German Empire, through the Weimar Republic and the Nazi state through to the German Democratic Republic - Victor Klemperer is regarded as one of the...

A comprehensive and thought-provoking investigation into one of the most polarizing words in the English language.Few words in the English language are as misunderstood as "like." Indeed, excessive use of this word is a surefire way to make those who pride themselves on propriety,...

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Our ability to find meaning in things is one of the most important aspects of human life. But it is also one of the most mysterious. Where does meaning come from? What sorts of things have meaning? And...

The New York Times bestseller now in paperback. One of the preeminent linguists of our time examines the realms of language that are considered shocking and taboo in order to understand what imbues curse words with such power--and why we love them so much....

With his trademark humor and flair, bestselling linguist John McWhorter busts the myths and shares the history of the most controversial language topic of our times: pronouns The nature of language is to shift and evolve--but every so often, a new usage creates a...