The Linguistics of Laughter examines what speakers try to achieve by producing "laughter-talk" (the talk preceding and eliciting an episode of laughter) and, using abundant examples from language corpora, what hearers are signaling when they produce laughter.
In particular, Alan Partington focuses on the tactical use of laughter-talk to achieve specific rhetorical, and strategic, ends: for example, to construct an identity, to make an argumentative point, to threaten someone else's face or save one's own. Although laughter and humor are by no means always related, the book also considers the implications these corpus-based observations may have about humor theory in general.
There is a 'written language bias' in the language sciences, particularly in linguistics. Within the discipline of linguistics, models and theories of language have been developed that are strongly dependent on long-time traditions of dealing with writing and written language. This legacy is still alive in modern, mainstream theoretical linguistics. As a consequence a paradox arises: there is an almost unanimous agreement on the absolute primacy of spoken language, yet language is explored from theoretical and methodological points of departure that are ultimately derived from concerns with cultivating, standardising and teaching forms of written language.
An Introduction to Applied Linguistics (Edinburgh Textbooks in Applied Linguistics)
Language and language problems affect all of us and are an integral part of our social experience.
In An Introduction to Applied Linguistics, Professor Davies takes this simple fact as his starting point and sets out to show that applied linguistics is better understood by doing it than studying or reading about it. Beginning with the history and definitions of applied linguistics, he then looks at the full spectrum of 'institutional' and 'non-institutional' uses of language, spanning not only language learning and teaching but also language as a socio-psychological phenomenon. Whilst setting this practical outlook against the historical background of changing public needs and competing ideologies, Davies shows that a theory can be derived.
The book has been updated throughout. The amendments include a re-examination of the Linguistics Applied-Applied Linguistics opposition, a survey of Applied Linguistics curricula, a consideration of whether there is any difference between the terms Educational Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, further discussion of the role of correctness and of ethics and a new study of the challenges to Applied Linguistics of socio-cultural theory, the theorising of World Englishes and the concept of the native speaker. There is a new final chapter which surveys the whole volume and makes connections with the other volumes in the Series.
A Glossary of Corpus Linguistics (Glossaries in Linguistics)
This is the first comprehensive glossary of the many specialist terms in corpus linguistics and provides an accessible guide for corpus linguists and non-corpus linguists alike.
Contrastive Analysis in Language: Identifying Linguistic Units of Comparison
This is a book about comparison in linguistics in general, rather than "contrastive analysis" as a distinct branch of linguistics. It addresses the question "Does the analytical apparatus used by linguists allow comparisons to be made across languages?" Four major domains are considered in turn: derivational morphology, syntax, semantics & pragmatics, and discourse. Contributions cover a broad spectrum of linguistic disciplines, ranging from contrastive linguistics and linguistic typology to translation studies and historical linguistics.
