Book: Linguistic Anthropology: A Brief Introduction

Linguistic Anthropology:

A Brief Introduction, Third Edition

Marcel Danesi

August 2012 • 978-1-55130-489-2 • $39.95 • 268pp

Anthropologists have always put language at the centre of their agenda. So too have linguists. Anthropological linguistics, the amalgam of the two disciplines, aims to document and examine how language mirrors social structure and culture-specific thought patterns. Linguistic Anthropology: A Brief Introduction—the third edition of Marcel Danesi’s popular text—provides a concrete method for studying the relation between language and society.

The book is ideal for introductory-level courses in linguistics that adopt a cultural focus and is also suitable for supplementary use in more theoretical linguistics courses. The new edition has been restructured and streamlined to make it a better fit for one-semester classes. Written in Danesi’s accessible and engaging style, this book will also appeal to a broad audience of language students, scholars, and enthusiasts.

Marcel Danesi is Professor of Semiotics and Linguistic Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto. His main research interests are semiotic theory and youth culture. He is currently editor-in-chief of Semiotica, the official journal of the International Association for Semiotic Studies.

“In his characteristically lucid and clear writing style, Marcel Danesi explains and demystifies the science of linguistics. The logical organization of this textbook, replete with superb examples of every linguistic process and phenomenon presented, adds to its appeal for the student of anthropological linguistics. This extremely reader-friendly volume also has a very useful final glossary of key concepts and terms and a comprehensive bibliography of essential references in the field, all of which add to its functionality. This book is the best introduction to linguistic anthropology available today.”

—     Frank Nuessel, University of Louisville

“Marcel Danesi’s introduction to linguistic anthropology brings the important questions and phenomena of language and culture to a wide readership in a highly accessible, efficient, and fun-to-read format. With excellent hands-on examples and insights from recent scholarship, Danesi takes the reader through the important theories and concepts from prehistory to popular culture.”

—     Prisca Augustyn, Florida Atlantic University

“A text that I would highly recommend to both my students and my colleagues. It offers an excellent introduction to linguistic anthropology and fills a void in undergraduate and graduate curricula.”

—     Diana Iuele-Colilli, Laurentian University