Skip to main content
Palgrave Macmillan
Book cover

Challenges in the Social Life of Language

  • Book
  • © 2011

Overview

Part of the book series: Language and Globalization (LAGL)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Introduction

  2. Perceptual Underpinnings

  3. Identity Matters

  4. Language Contact and Its Consequences

Keywords

About this book

The first book to highlight the most pressing sociology-of-language themes of our times. All of which have to do with the twin issues of power and identity . Important evidence and illustrations bearing upon these matters are provided and supplemented by an extensive bibliography.

Reviews

'For more than a quarter of a century Professor John Edwards has stood as the traffic cop at the intersection of Psychology and Sociolinguistics, insisting that those coming from one direction pay heed to the other, and personally ensuring the forward movement of ideas. Besides his original research, he is one of the few scholars with the ability to produce a grand narrative of what the field has accomplished and where it is headed. Challenges in the Social Life of Language sees him, in his own words, reculer pour mieux sauter take a step back, the better to jump ahead. The book provides an unprecedentedly full and mature perspective on sociolinguistics and its adjacent disciplines that will enrich every reader's understanding of language, from the beginning student to the life-long adept.' John E. Joseph, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

'John Edwards has produced an incisive critique of the current scholarship on social dimensions of language. Particularly informative are his assessment of various conceptions of the 'ecology' of language, his discussion of the role that religion as an identity marker can play in language maintenance or revitalization, and his comparative overview of the rise of English as a major language since before the 15th century as well as its expansion as a world language since the 19th century. Students of language endangerment and loss in the context of globalization today wouldn't want to miss his balanced remarks on the state of the art.' - Salikoko S. Mufwene, The Frank J. McLoraine Distinguished Service Professor of Linguistics, University of Chicago, USA.

'Covering an amazingly broad range of topics in a lucid narrative, this volume brings the studies of language attitude, language and identity, language contact to a new critical height. It is both empirically rich and theoretically innovative. The book will be a key reference for scholars in a variety of fields for many years to come.' - Li Wei, Professor of Applied Linguistics, Birkbeck College, University of London, England.

'A comprehensive and incisive view of the field of language contact and language attitudes by one of the most distinguished scholars in this field. Edwards draws adroitly from social psychology and sociolinguistics to provide new insights into language contact and imperialism. The extended discussions of attitudes and identity are particularly profound and presented with clarity.' - Rajend Mesthrie, Professor of Linguistics, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Authors and Affiliations

  • St Francis Xavier University, Canada

    John Edwards

About the author

JOHN EDWARDS is Professor of Psychology at St Francis Xavier University, Canada. His research interests are in language, identity and the many ramifications of their relationship. He is on the editorial boards of a dozen international language journals, and is the editor of the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development and the Multilingual Matters book series. He is widely published and his most recent books include Un mundo de lenguas (2009), Language and Identity (2009) and Language Diversity in the Classroom (2010).

Bibliographic Information

Publish with us