Language - Further Reading

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Language

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Alphabet

Baron, Naomi S. Alphabet to Email: How Written English Evolved and Where It's Heading. Routledge, 2001. Intriguing survey of the history of language and how the digital age is changing the way we write.

Drucker, Johanna. The Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination. Thames & Hudson, 1999. Examines the many meanings and values assigned to letters of the alphabet over the ages.

Ouaknin, Marc-Alain. Mysteries of the Alphabet. Abbeville, 1999. An illustrated history of the invention and development of each letter of the alphabet. For high school readers.

Sacks, David. Language Visible: Unraveling the Mystery of the Alphabet from A to Z. Broadway, 2003. Entertaining discussion of the evolution of each letter of the Roman alphabet.

Shlain, Leonard. The Alphabet Versus the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and Image. Viking, 1998. A detailed and absorbing examination of how alphabetic literacy reconfigured culture, religion, and history.

Etymology

Chambers Dictionary of Etymology. Larousse Kingfisher, 1999. The reference for wordsmiths.

Almond, Jordan. Dictionary of Word Origins: A History of the Words, Expressions and Clichés We Use. Citadel, 1995. Handy reference for the origins of frequently used words and expressions.

Bevington, Gary. Where Do Words Come From? An Introduction to Etymology. Kendall/Hunt, 1995. The intriguing origins of hundreds of everyday words and expressions.

Chantrell, Glynnis, ed. The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories. Oxford University Press, 2002. Describes the origins of over 11,000 words in the English language.

Hoad, T. F., ed. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. Oxford University Press, 1986, 1993. Based on the authoritative unabridged edition (1966), this paperback edition retains the historical approach.

Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. Elsevier, 1971, 1979. “Dealing with the Origin of Words and Their Sense Development, Thus Illustrating the History of Civilization and Cultures” (title page).

Mish, Frederick, C., ed. The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories. Merriam-Webster, 1991, 1995. Traces the respective histories of about 1,500 English words.

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Language

Baron, Dennis. Grammar and Gender. Yale University Press, 1986. Historical approach to sexism in language.

Berlitz, Charles. Native Tongues. Grosset, Wideview, 1982. 1984. Facts on the world's 1,156 languages and 5,000 dialects.

Bodmer, Frederick. The Loom of Language. Norton, Humanities, 1944, 1985. 1987. Survey of the interrelationship of languages; includes word lists.

Comrie, Bernard. The World's Major Languages. Oxford University Press, 1990. Concise reference emphasizes Indo-European languages; includes bibliographies.

Crystal, David, ed. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge University Press, 1987. Wide range of themes; extensive glossary.

Dalby, Arnold. A Guide to World Language Dictionaries. Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998.

Hayakawa, S. I., and Alan Hayakawa. Language in Thought and Action. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989. An enduring standard work.

Luntley, Michael. Contemporary Philosophy of Thought and Language: Truth, World, Content. Blackwell, 1999. Excellent introduction to central arguments and foundational positions engaged in modern philosophy.

McCrone, John. The Ape That Spoke. Morrow, 1991. Examines the origins of language and the evolution of the human mind.

Miller, Casey, and Kate Swift. The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing. HarperCollins, 1988. Cogent plea for sensibly correcting biased language.

Sapir, Edward. Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech. Harcourt Brace, Humanities, 1921. 1980. Classic book on basic concepts, sounds, grammar, and changes in language.

Swisher, Clarice. The Beginning of Language: Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven, 1989. Presents opposing viewpoints on the origins of language.

Linguistics

Bright, William, ed. International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Oxford University Press, 1992. Articles on known and extinct languages; also includes maps, a glossary, and topical articles.

Campbell, Jeremy. Grammatical Man: Information, Entropy, Language, and Life. Simon & Schuster, 1987. Overview relating language to human society.

Chomsky, Noam. Reflections on Language. Pantheon, 1976. The famous linguist's challenging ideas on human intelligence and language.

Dinneen, Francis P. General Linguistics. Georgetown University Press, 1995. Excellent introduction to the field, with comprehensive coverage.

Ducrot, Oswald, and Tzvetan Todorov. Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Sciences of Language. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979. Fifty readable articles on schools, fields, and methodological and descriptive concepts; includes bibliographies.

Dunbar, Robin. Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language. Harvard University Press, 1998. A provocative and entertaining look at some of the reasons why humans developed language.

Hall, Edward T. The Silent Language. Doubleday, Greenwood, 1973. 1980. Original analysis of patterns in culture and language in various ethnic groups.

Jakobson, Roman. On Language. Harvard University Press, 1990. An influential scholar discusses his theories of language acquisition and phonology.

Robins, R. H. General Linguistics: An Introductory Survey. Addison-Wesley, 1989.

Robins, R. H. A Short History of Linguistics. Addison-Wesley, 1997. First published in 1968, this classic has been thoroughly revised and updated.

Sampson, Geoffrey. Schools of Linguistics. Stanford University Press, 1980, 1990. Engaging examination of contemporary competing schools of thought in English-language linguistics.

Semantics

Fodor, Jerry. A Theory of Content and Other Essays. MIT Press, 1990. Essays on cognition and the psychology of content.

Garfield, Jay, and Murray Kiteley. Meaning and Truth. Paragon, 1990. Essential readings for the understanding of semantics.

Hayakawa, S. I., and Alan R Hayakawa. Language in Thought and Action. Harcourt Brace, 1990. A classic work.

Linsky, Leonard. Names and Descriptions. University of Chicago Press, 1980. The philosophical foundation of names.

Miller, John William. The Definition of the Thing: With Some Notes on Language. Norton, 1983. Deals philosophically with problems of logic and language.

Paulson, Ross Evans. Language, Science, and Action: Korzybski's General Semantics: A Study in Comparative Intellectual History. Greenwood, 1983. Shows how ideas are transferred from one culture to another.

Sawin, Gregory, ed. Thinking and Living Skills: General Semantics for Critical Thinking. International Society General Semantics, 1995. An engaging exposition on how to improve life through the use of general semantics. Written for students.

Sign language

Charlip, Remy; Mary Beth; and George Ancona. Handtalk: An ABC of Finger Spelling and Sign Language. Simon & Schuster, 1974, 1987. A classic work designed for ages 9 to 12.

Costello, Elaine, and Lois Lenderman. Random House Webster's American Sign Language Dictionary. Random House, 1994. This amply illustrated work is arranged like a dictionary; includes more than 5,000 signs.

Fant, Louie J. Illus. Betty G. Miller. The American Sign Language Phrase Book. NTC/Contemporary, 1994. Organized by topic and written by a leader in the field.

Greene, Laura, and Eva B. Dicker. Interpreting Sign Language. Watts, 1990. Manual for children.

Lane, Leonard G. The Gallaudet Survival Guide to Signing. Gallaudet, 1990. Handy introduction to 500 signs.

Sternberg, Martin L. A. American Sign Language Dictionary. HarperReference, 1998. A classic reference work.

Slang

Cassidy, Frederic G., ed. Dictionary of American Regional English. Belknap, 1986. Survey of spoken American English; includes thousands of unique dialect variations and more than 500 maps.

Chapman, Robert L. American Slang. HarperPerennial, 1987. Abridged edition of the New Dictionary of American Slang (Harper, 1986).

Flexner, Stuart Berg, and Anne H. Soukhanov. Speaking Freely: A Guided Tour of American English from Plymouth Rock to Silicon Valley. Oxford University Press, 1997. Examines how cultural change has provided some of our most colorful expressions.

Lighter, Jonathan E.; J. Ball; and J. O'Connor, eds. Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang. Random House, 1994- .

Partridge, Eric. Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. Macmillan, 1985. A classic, with 7,500 entries; first published in 1937.

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