Exploring Language in Global Contexts

Description

This accessible and engaging textbook offers a practical approach to understanding the complexity of language by exploring language use and language learning in a wide variety of contexts. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of figures List of tables List of contributors Acknowledgements 1 How Does Language Work? Design features of human language Displacement Arbitrariness Cultural transmission Productivity Duality Sign systems Learning languages Grammar and structure Meaning and signification Language and technology Language variation Global languages Key concepts Activities for reflection and discussion References and further reading 2 How Do We Learn Languages? Summary of key points Guiding questions What are the key developmental stages and processes of First Language Acquisition (FLA) in all human languages? What is childhood bilingualism? What are the main theories of First Language Acquisition (FLA)? Behaviourist theory Innatist theory Interactionist theory What are the main theories of Second Language Acquisition (SLA)? Behaviourist theory Innatist theory Cognitivist theory The interaction hypothesis The noticing hypothesis Sociocultural theory Processability theory Complexity theory What is Instructed Second Language Acquisition (ISLA)? How do we learn second languages in classrooms? Conclusion Key concepts Activities for reflection and discussion References and further reading 3 What is Language Made Of? Summary of key points Guiding questions What makes human language unique? How does grammar separate human language from animal communication? Productivity What is grammar and why do we need it? Grammar and grammars Linguistic levels How long can a word be and what is the shortest sentence? Words and sounds Words and sentences Is there anything we cannot say? Linguistic relativity Where does grammar come from? Generative grammar Systemic functional grammar Conclusion Key concepts Activities for reflection and discussion References and further reading 4 How Do We Make Meaning With Language? Summary of key points Guiding questions What is the connection between words and world? Semiotics and the sign How do words create meaning? Denotation and connotation Co-text and context Representation and reference Meaning and reality How does language perform changes in the world? Pragmatics and performativity Speech acts Cooperation in interaction Deixis Discourse and point of view Why is there misunderstanding? Conclusion Activities for reflection and discussion Key concepts References and further reading 5 How Does Technology Affect Language Use? Summary of key points Guiding questions What communicative goals does text messaging support? Is texting spoken or written communication? Textual interactivity Spontaneity Communicative distance What are the linguistic features of text messaging? Discourse management Emoticons and emojis How does variation apply to text messaging? Is text messaging changing the way we communicate? Conclusion Key concepts Activities for reflection and discussion References and further reading 6 How Do Languages Vary? Summary Guiding questions What is language variation? How does language variation affect the private and the public sphere? What are the positive and negative attitudes towards language variation? Communities: a sense of belonging Positive curiosity Discrimination Is language variation integrated into language curricula? The case of French as a foreign language What can we do to better integrate language variation into language teaching? Phonological variation: Cameroon French Lexical variation: Swiss French Conclusion Key concepts Activities for reflection and discussion References and further reading 7 How Does a Language Become Global? Summary of key points Guiding questions What is a global language? How did English become a global language? British colonialism Industrial Revolution USA’s role in the world How can we describe the use and status of English in the world today? Inner Circle Outer Circle Expanding Circle What are the risks posed by a global language? Linguistic complacency Inequalities and discrimination Language endangerment What could stop English being a global language? Lack of incentive to learn English Replacement by another language in second/foreign language education Translation technology Lack of resources for English language learning and teaching Resistance to English Divergence of English into different languages What are some future scenarios for language use globally? Reliance on translation Receptive multilingualism Codeswitching and language mixing Mandarin Chinese as a global language Conclusion Key concepts Activities for reflection and discussion References and further reading 8 What Do We (Not) Know About Language? What we know about language Languages show similarities which allow them to be grouped together into “families” Languages are dynamic; they change over time, through usage and media Speech is universal and inherent while writing is a more recent development What we don’t know about language How language originated How many languages there are What we are learning about language now and into the future How future attitudes to social diversity may influence perceptions of language variation How future developments in technology may affect language How ambiguity in language may be approached in the future How future distributions of global power may affect language Key concepts Activities for discussion and reflection References and further reading Index