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The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language 2nd Edition
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Purchase options and add-ons
- ISBN-100521559677
- ISBN-13978-0521559676
- Edition2nd
- PublisherCambridge University Press
- Publication dateFebruary 13, 1997
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions9 x 1.25 x 10.75 inches
- Print length488 pages
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Investigates every conceivable corner of the world of language." The Christian Science Monitor
"...remarkably accessible...the writing is plain and non-technical..." Toronto Globe and Mail
"The quantity and quality of included information is amazing. Composed by an individual, this is a truly unique and monumental reference work." American Reference Books Annual
"The book is overwhelming yet inviting; the information ranges from the most basic to the very technical. Even the casual browser couldn't help but be fascinated by the sheer scope of the book and intrigued with the diversity of its subject matter." Elaine R. Goldberg, Kliatt
"The most diverse, enjoyable, and thought-provoking encyclopedia on language....ideal for anyone interested in words, speech, writing, and thought, and certain to be a continual point of reference for any writer for years to come. Very highly recommended." Amazon.Com Books
Book Description
Book Description
Product details
- Publisher : Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition (February 13, 1997)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 488 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0521559677
- ISBN-13 : 978-0521559676
- Item Weight : 4.33 pounds
- Dimensions : 9 x 1.25 x 10.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,385,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #401 in Encyclopedias (Books)
- #1,112 in Literature Encyclopedias
- #3,494 in Art Encyclopedias
- Customer Reviews:
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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).
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Top reviews from the United States
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Not the type of book that would be in my office.
These 11 categories are further broken down into 65 subsections on such subjects as "Language and Thought," "Investigating Children's Language," and "Language And The Brain."
One of the beauties of this book is that it practices what it preaches. In the section on Plain English, it emphasizes simplicity as the key to readability and it is written in just such a simple, readable manner. In this regard, Crystal quotes the recommendations of the "Plain English Advocates" as follows:
"Prefer the shorter word to the longer one. Use simple . . . . rather than fancy ones."
"Write short sentences with an average of no more than 20 words."
"Write short paragraphs with an average of about 75 words."
And very importantly, I think, "Write with your ear. . . . . Do not write anything you could not comfortably say."
There is much more like this. Along these same lines he quotes George Orwell's six rules of what to do when instinct fails. A couple of these rules also merit mention.
"Never use a long word when a short word will do." and "If it is possible to cut a word out, cut it out." And, again, more along these lines.
I think that these few rules and others like them are important to one of the main themes of the book which is effective communication.
There are segments of the book that, in my opinion, ought to be invaluable to the professional researcher as well as the casual reader. For instance, there are sections that relate language to childhood development, contain discussions of language and other systems of communication, and discussions of language and social identity to name but a few. Many are accompanied by charts, tables, illustrations, maps, etc. where they add breadth to the discussion.
To summarize, THE CAMBRIDGE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LANGUAGE has something to offer to a wide range of readers, from the would-be writer, to the experienced writer who wishes to be more effective, to the researcher, to the intellectually curious.
Instead of being organized alphabetically, as most encyclopedias are, _The Encyclopedia of Language_ is divided into eleven parts that comprise sixty-five thematic sections. Each section includes a comprehensive discussion of the theme, enhanced by sidebars and colorful visuals. Sections range in length from two to twenty pages, making the chunks of information small enough to be palatable yet large enough to be satisfying.
Topics addressed include language and thought, the structure of language, the anatomy and physiology of speech, written language, language acquisition, languages of the world, language disabilities, and language change. Obviously, this is only a sample. In addition, the book has eight appendices, including an extensive glossary and a table giving information about nearly 1,000 of the world's languages.
While many of Crystal's topics have their technical aspects, the author keeps his tone conversational and his information accessible to the lay reader. In this way he celebrates the existence of human language and deepens our appreciation of it.
Top reviews from other countries
「百科事典」という性質上、本書を読破したわけではないが、これまでに参照した中では、22. The anatomy and physiology of speechと33. Graphologyの部分が興味深かった。Part VIIIで、脳科学にまで踏み込んでいる点にも驚いた。一般的な言語学の入門書では、ここまで取り扱うことは殆どないだろう。言語に関する諸問題について色々と知りたければ、個人的には、下手な言語学の概説書を何冊も買うよりも、本書を一冊手許に置いておき、その後必要であれば、専門的なレベルに進む方が良いのではないかと思う。



