A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (The Language Library) [Paperback]

David Crystal (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0631178716 | ISBN-13: 978-0631178712 | Publication Date: May 1991 | Edition: 3rd

This revised and updated edition of the dictionary adds around 300 new words or senses which have developed in linguistics during the 1980s, chiefly in relation to the newer models of linguistic theory, including a full account of the terminology of government-binding theory. Special attention is paid to recent phonological theories, such as metrical phonology, and to pragmatics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Few linguistics books go even into a second edition, let alone a fourth; A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics has evidently pleased so many readers and reviewers as to warrant its publishers bringing out new editions of it every five or six years since the first edition appeared in 1980. Its considerable popularity clearly reflects the fact that its coverage of both subject areas and of schools of linguistics is gratifyingly thorough."James McCawley, University of Chicago

<!--end-->"A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phoneticsdoes contain much useful information, and will be of use to scholars already familiar with linguistics."Alan Libert, The University of Newcastle, Austrailia --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Much more than a dictionary, this impressive work of judicious scholarship is virtually a course of instruction in the wide range of studies of language. It cannot fail to be of great value to professionals, students, and the general interested public."
—Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Blackwell Pub; 3rd edition (May 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631178716
• ISBN-13: 978-0631178712
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,434,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Crystal is honorary professor of linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor. He has written or edited over 100 books and published numerous articles for scholarly, professional, and general readerships, in fields ranging from forensic linguistics and ELT to the liturgy and Shakespeare. His many books include Words, Words, Words (OUP 2006) and The Fight for English (OUP 2006).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars David Crystal gets right to the point, May 11, 2000

By 

Britta Weber - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (The Language Library) (Paperback)

the book is especially useful when preparing for an examination, because it gives that kind of information you are looking for, by getting right to the point. Very helpful are the cross-references which can serve as guidelines for further searches. David Crystal gives detailed and exact definitions of the most important terms of linguistics and phonetics, but he neglects some of the key terminology of historical linguistics. Looking for definitions in this field of study, one should rather consult Hartmann / Storck:Dictionary of Language and Linguistics. However, particularly in the field of phonetics and phonology the book is an undefeatable source of information.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful, March 10, 2006

By 

M. W. Townley (AL, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (The Language Library) (Paperback)

As a first year Master's student in TESOL, I have to read a lot of linguistics-related articles/books, and I am learning much of the terminology as I go. This book has saved me hours of googling for an adequate definition of unfamiliar terms/theories. If you have an interest in linguisitics, this book is a vital aid in making the literature accessible. Whether you are a beginner or not, this book should be a part of your library.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing more than it says, August 14, 2003

By 

J. Ott "John Ott" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (The Language Library) (Paperback)

Lucid prose. Good examples. Decent range. This dictionary is nothing more than it advertises. It is not an encyclopedia and therefore goes into very little depth. But it does collate terms from a broad range of disciplines within linguistics and has helped a novice like me become familiar with them (if not an expert). It is expecially good at describing how the meanings of terms have changed over time, or how they are employed in different contexts or sub-fields of linguistics.