Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech [Paperback]

Edward Sapir (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 1955 | ISBN-10: 0156482339 | ISBN-13: 978-0156482332

Originally published in 1921, this classic is still regarded as one of the clearest, most comprehensive descriptions of language for the general reader. Index.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edward Sapir (IPA: /səˈpɪər/), (January 26, 1884 – February 4, 1939) was a Jewish-German-American anthropologist-linguist, a leader in American structural linguistics, and one of the creators of what is now called the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. He is arguably the most influential figure in American linguistics, influencing several generations of linguists across several schools of linguistics.

 Books

• Sapir, Edward (1907). Herder's "Ursprung der Sprache". Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ASIN: B0006CWB2W. 
• Sapir, Edward (1908), "On the etymology of Sanskrit asru, Avestan asru, Greek dakru", in Modi, Jivanji Jamshedji, Spiegel memorial volume. Papers on Iranian subjects written by various scholars in honour of the late Dr. Frederic Spiegel, Bombay: British India Press, pp. 156–159 
• Sapir, Edward; Curtin, Jeremiah (1909). Wishram texts, together with Wasco tales and myths. E.J. Brill. ASIN: B000855RIW. http://www.archive.org/details/wishramtexts00sapirich. 
• Sapir, Edward (1910). Yana Texts. Berkeley University Press. http://www.archive.org/details/yanatexts00sapirich. 
• Sapir, Edward (1915). A sketch of the social organization of the Nass River Indians. Ottawa: Government Printing Office. http://www.archive.org/details/sketchofsocialor00sapiiala. 
• Sapir, Edward (1915). Noun reduplication in Comox, a Salish language of Vancouver island. Ottawa: Government Printing Office. http://www.archive.org/details/nounreduplicatio00sapirich. 
• Sapir, Edward (1916). Time Perspective in Aboriginal American Culture, A Study in Method. Ottawa: Government Printing Bureau. http://www.archive.org/details/timeperspectivei00sapirich. 
• Sapir, Edward (1917). Dreams and Gibes. Boston: The Gorham Press. http://www.archive.org/details/dreamsgibes00sapirich. 
• Sapir, Edward (1921). Language: An introduction to the study of speech. New York: Harcourt, Brace and company. ASIN: B000NGWX8I. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12629. 
• Sapir, Edward; Swadesh, Morris (1939). Nootka Texts: Tales and ethnological narratives, with grammatical notes and lexical materials. Philadelphia: Linguistic Society of America. ASIN: B000EB54JC. 
• Sapir, Edward (1949), Mandelbaum, David, ed., Selected writings in language, culture and personality, Berkeley: University of California Press, ASIN: B000PX25CS 
• Sapir, Edward; Irvine, Judith (2002). The psychology of culture: A course of lectures. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3110172829. 
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Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (August 4, 1955)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156482339
• ISBN-13: 978-0156482332
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,025,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best general introductions to linguistics., May 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech (Paperback)

Sapir's 1921 "Language" is one of the finest of many fine works by the distinguished linguist, anthropologist and humanist. With piercing yet accessible insight, he guides the reader through fundamental questions about language: How are culture and language related? How does language work? How do languages vary?
Although there are many general introductions to the subject (Bloomfield's and Jesperson's volume come to mind), Sapir's is unmatched for sheer readability in interest. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Challenging and Thought Provoking, July 23, 2008

By 

Christopher R. Travers "Einhverfr" (Chelan, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech (Paperback)

When I started reading this work I found that it was very difficult to get through much at once. The book is very dense and packed with insightful examples.

However, Sapir illustrates points quite well. In it he discusses phonetic theories, concepts of drift, syntax and word structure, how language and culture are related, and the like. There are few more comprehensive introductions to the field today, and fewer introductions still which go into the level of depth that he does. Highly recommended.