

Series: NA (Book 4)
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (May 6, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1405124415
ISBN-13: 978-1405124416
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #39,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #36 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Linguistics #69 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Linguistics #95 in Books > Textbooks > Social Sciences > Anthropology

Yes, here is a keeper; what a fascinating realm of humanity, and what I fine introduction! I write software, and have a fascination with language, semiotics, "meaning making", so I read this just for fun, not part of a class. There are so many unexpected dimensions/realms here, most fascinating and illuminating, a college class would have been a treat. Aside from the subject area itself, she covered the material in a manner that flowed naturally throughout the book, mixing ideas and examples artfully, so the material just does not seem like textbook stuff. This is the most interesting book I've read in quite a while, and is a perfect first-look into the field. (Another great one is Semiotics; The Basics by Daniel Chandler)I'd love to know what to read next on Linguistic Anthro, but I suspect this one will be tough to top in terms of pure enrichment and enjoyment.
I had to read this for an introductory course in linguistic anthropology at Rutgers University. While I only took this class because it's required for my major in cultural anthropology, this book was a major help. Ahearn's writing style is very organized and easy to follow, breaking up the concepts into headings and subheadings so it's easy to take notes on the chapters.She discusses many topics. A few are different research strategies for linguistic anthropologists, how speech communities may live among each other but are very different, and also how language isn't just about language but how it incorporates into culture and how each culture is largely based on the language.Highly reccommended for anyone interested in linguistics
As a student, I personally loved the book as a textbook for class. The material was easy to understand, because she broke down hard concepts into easier terminology. I would definitely recommend it as an in class textbook. Easier to read than most textbooks, shorter than most textbooks, and definitely extremely light, which made it easier to carry around. My professor definitely used the book a lot, so there was no escaping it. I was glad she chose a book that did not make me want to scream every time I read it. If you are a professor, considering using this book for class, take it from a fellow student: Go for it!
I took my core linguistics course last quarter for my Anthropology major and this was the required reading for the course.. Pretty easy to read and pretty organised, which was good for me because Linguistics isn't my subfield. I read this with both my iPad and my kindle keyboard and the formatting looked perfect.
This is the worst textbook I've ever read. Ahearn is incredibly biased in her discussions of numerous topics, to the point of complete disrespect for people who hold views that she disagrees with (particularly Noam Chomsky; her blatant disregard of such a pioneer in the field is infuriating). After reading this book, I learned nothing about how people process, think about, or relate to language. Instead, I feel like I read a rambling 300-page literature review.Most of my classmates hated this book as much as I did, and our professor is switching to another textbook next semester because of our collective opinion.
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