Language and Power (Language in Social Life) [Paperback]

Norman Fairclough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1996 | ISBN-10: 0582009766 | ISBN-13: 978-0582009769

Examines how language functions in maintaining and changing power relations in modern society. It discusses ways of analysing language which can reveal these processes, how people can become more conscious of them, and more able to resist and change them.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Language in Social Life is a major series which highlights the importance of language to an understanding of issues of social and professional concern.  It will be of practical relevance to all those wanting to understand how the ways we communicate both influence and are influenced by the structures and forces of contemporary social institutions.  Praise for the first edition of Language and Power: "...an excellent introductory manual"THES "...thought provoking and suggestive"SECOL (Southeastern Conference on Linguistics) Review  Language and Power was first published in 1989 and quickly established itself as a ground-breaking book. Its popularity continues as an accessible introductory text to the field of Discourse Analysis, focusing on:  

• how language functions in maintaining and changing power relations in modern society
• the ways of analysing language which can reveal these processes
• how people can become more conscious of them, and more able to resist and change them.

The question of language and power is still important and urgent in the twenty-first century, but there have been substantial changes in social life during the past decade which have somewhat changed the nature of unequal power relations, and therefore the agenda for the critical study of language. In this new edition, Norman Fairclough brings the discussion fully up-to-date and covers the issue of 'globalisation' of power relations and the development of the internet in relation to Language and Power.  The bibliography has also been fully updated to include important new reference material.Norman Fairclough is Professor of Language in Social Life in the Department of Linguistics, Lancaster University. 

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 259 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley Publishing Company (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0582009766
• ISBN-13: 978-0582009769
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,918,788 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A key to decipher power and ideology, February 10, 2008

By 

Anna Belladelli (Italy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Language and Power (Language in Social Life) (Paperback)

This book is amazing in that it provides critical tools to unveil the ideologies and the prejudices underlying all kinds of texts, from the mainstream media to personal spoken exchanges.
Whether you are a PhD student with a background in linguistics, or you are simply curious and willing to grasp which interests and concerns are REALLY behind language, not only will this book put you in a position to understand such social practices, but it will provide you with a language to describe and discuss them.
I guess this volume is among the top ten books every student in linguistics and languages should read.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Language and Power (Language in Social Life), March 25, 2009

By 

Maria Jose Machuca - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Language and Power (Language in Social Life) (Paperback)

this book help you t understand the languag around you... i really like it!
Thank again and also for sent it so fast!