Laura M. Ahearn - Living language: an introduction to linguistic anthropology

Contents

Blackwell Primers in Anthropology

Each volume in this series is a lively first look at a traditional area of anthropological study. These concise books provide theoretically sophisticated yet accessible and engaging introductions for nonspecialists. They will be invaluable for undergraduate instruction as well as offering pithy overviews to those unfamiliar with the primary issues in the chosen subdiscipline.

Published

1. People and Nature: An Introduction to Human Ecological Relations by Emilio F. Moran

2. Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology by Laura M. Ahearn

This edition first published 2012
2012 Laura M. Ahearn

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ahearn, Laura M., 1962

Living language : an introduction to linguistic anthropology / by Laura M. Ahearn.

p. cm. (Blackwell primers in anthropology)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4051-2440-9 (hardback) ISBN 978-1-4051-2441-6 (paperback) 1. Anthropological linguistics. 2. Language and culture. I. Title. II. Series.

P35.A38 2011

306.44dc22

2010049292

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This book is published in the following electronic formats: ePDFs 9781444340532; Wiley Online Library 9781444340563; ePub 9781444340549

For Mellie,
whose words and smiles
have brought me indescribable joy

Figures

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Preface

Language as used in real-life social contexts is fascinating but extremely challenging to study. Linguistic anthropology as a discipline offers a set of concepts and tools for undertaking this challenge. My goal in this book is to provide an accessible introduction to the main principles and approaches of linguistic anthropology without overly simplifying the complex contributions of scholars in the field. To the degree that this book succeeds in accomplishing this goal, it will be useful not just to graduate and undergraduate students studying linguistic anthropology for the first time (to whom I very much hope to communicate my enthusiasm for the field) but also to all sorts of other readers who might for various reasons be interested in living language. These readers might include, for example, cultural anthropologists, sociologists, or political scientists who have never looked closely at language in their research but could benefit from doing so. I also hope the book will be of value to linguists whose work thus far has been more technical and abstract in nature but who would like to turn their attention to the study of actual instances of linguistic practice. And finally, I hope the book will appeal to anyone who has a natural curiosity about the central role language plays in shaping and reflecting cultural norms and social interactions.