English Vocabulary: The Basics

Description

English Vocabulary: The Basics offers a clear non-jargonistic introduction to English vocabulary the way linguists classify and explain it and the place of vocabulary in our overall picture of the language and in society. Introducing a range of terminology for discussing vocabulary the reader is provided with a coherent structured description of what we know about words and their meanings. Key features of this book include: • Analysis of historical roots of present-day words • Coverage of the differences between speech and writing and between formality and informality • Understanding of the social implications of choices that readers make to use standard or non-standard (e. g. regional/dialect) vocabulary • A focus on British English with reference to a wide range of varieties of English that include North American English Irish English Indian English Malaysian English Nigerian English and Caribbean English. Featuring a glossary of key terms cartoons and illustrations further reading reflection points interesting factoids and examples from corpora from around the world this book is an engaging and thought-provoking read for anyone with an interest in English vocabulary.