Written in an engaging tone that keeps technical language to a minimum, Understanding Language Structure, Interaction, and Variation is truly unique in that it provides a broad intro-duction to applied linguistics specifically for nonspecialists. Using clear, easy-to-understand explanations and examples, the text avoids the in-depth theoretical coverage found in texts written for those who plan to continue on in the field, while also avoiding the superficiality of linguistics books written for the general reader. As a result, students, most of whom will be prospective ESL/EFL or English teachers, learn about how language works in ways that will directly serve them when teaching.
The text is organized so that students first get a broad overview of the structure of language in the first four chapters (e.g. morphology, syntax, phonology, pragmatics, etc.) and then capitalizes on this knowledge by applying it to the topics of "applied" linguistics, such as language and gender, language policy, first and second language acquisition, literacy, and dialects.
The text includes questions for review, research topics, extensive cross-referencing, and an extensive glossary of technical terms. Understanding Language Structure, Interaction, and Variation is versatile enough to be used in any introductory class (even for majors) and also serves as a great reference book for teachers.
