Includes bibliographical references (pages 403-424) and index
Introduction to linguistics -- The building blocks of language -- How do we mean things? -- Sociolinguistics -- Language variation -- Language and social groups -- Pidgins and Creoles -- African-American vernacular English -- Language policy -- Language and gender -- Literacy -- First language acquisition -- Second language acquisition -- Language and literature -- Linguistics in the professions -- The nature of language -- Historical linguistics -- Pedagogical grammar -- English grammar