Language: the Social Mirror

As a person who is fascinated by language and the nuances related to our communications - Dr. Chaika's book is a must-read. Her chapters on bilingualism are particularly relevant to today's debate on bilingual education and immigration. She makes an excellent argument as to why we do need a common language to unify our country while stressing the idea that diversity is indeed not only desirable but necessary. One of my favorite aspects of her book are the exercises that she provides at the end of each chapter. As a former teacher, I can absolutely see this text being utilized in any college setting with lots of exciting possibilities.

found this book fun to read as well as scholarly. What a tremendous amount of information it holds, not just for linguistics professionals but for the common reader. You will find yourself saying, as you read, so THAT'S what was happening in that conversation, discourse, give-and-take. If you're the kind of person who usually avoids scholarly tomes, please try this one. You will be pleasantly surprised as well as engaged. In addition, the next time you're having a conversation with someone who acts like they know it all about language and communication, YOU will be the expert just remembering the author's examples. You'll love her account of animal communication. It both dispels myths and amazes you with the kinds of communication that animals really do have. Of course, human conversation is also treated here, and that is as revealing as the rest.
Try this book. You will not only learn something, you will enjoy doing so. By the way, if you read Ms. Chaika's previous version of this book, you will be thrilled that there's a ton of new information. This book is a total rewrite. In fact, I feel BOTH should be in any library because each offers something to the study of language. This is not a minor tune up. This is a total re-write.
Enjoy!

This book is a must-have for anyone interested in linguistics, and particularly the social aspects of linguistics. Written by a true expert in the field, the book covers a wide area of its topic and yet still has enough detail (with examples) to back up all the ideas and theories. Includes incorporation of gender preconceptions in speech, power roles in speech, and language construction as it relates to social issues, as well as information on media bias using linguistic techniques.

In this book were many ideas that I'd never even thought about before - it was used as the textbook for what I consider to be the most interesting, engaging course I've taken at the undergraduate level (and it's not even in my major). This is the type of textbook that I would read for personal enjoyment even if I hadn't taken the class - and probably wouldn't be able to put down until I'd finished.