Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology

Accessible and clearly written, Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology introduces readers to the study of language in real-life social contexts around the world through the contemporary theory and practice of linguistic anthropology.

* A highly accessible introduction to the study of language in real-life social contexts around the world
* Combines classic studies on language and cutting-edge contemporary scholarship and assumes no prior knowledge in linguistics or anthropology
* Provides a unifying synthesis of current research and considers future directions for the field
* Covers key topics such as: language and gender, race, and ethnicity; language acquisition and socialization in children and adults; language death and revitalization; performance; language and thought; literacy practices; and multilingualism and globalization

List of Figures.

List of Tables.

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

Part I: Language: Some Basic Questions.

1. The Socially Charged Life of Language.

2. The Research Process in Linguistic Anthropology.

3. Language Acquisition and Socialization.

4. Language, Thought, and Culture.

Part II: Communities of Speakers, Hearers, Readers, and Writers.

5. Communities of Language Users.

6. Multilingualism and Globalization.

7. Literacy Practices.

8. Performance, Performativity, and the Constitution of Communities.

Part III: Language, Power, and Social Differentiation.

9. Language and Gender.

10. Language, Race, and Ethnicity.

11. Language Death and Revitalization.

12. Conclusion: Language, Power, and Agency.

Notes.

References.

Index.

Laura M. Ahearn is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University, USA. She is the author of Invitations to Love: Literacy, Love Letters, and Social Change in Nepal.