Systems: New Paradigms for the Human Sciences

The book introduces beginning university students of English to the study of English linguistics. The major difference between this book and its potential competitors lies in its hands-on didactic orientation, with a strong focus on linguistic analysis and argumentation. Language and linguistic theory are approached from a strictly empirical perspective: given a certain set of data to be accounted for, certain theoretical and methodological problems must be solved in order to analyze and understand the data properly. Thus, the theoretical apparatus is crucially developed in conversation with the data, and not presented as a set of given facts. After having worked with the book, the students should be able to use necessary methodological tools to obtain relevant data (such as corpora, dictionaries, experiments), and to systematically analyze their data and relate their findings to theoretical problems. The book is not written from the perspective of a particular theoretical framework and draws on insights from various research traditions. Introduction to English Linguistics concentrates on gaining expertise and analytical skills in the traditional core areas of linguistics, i.e. phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The final chapter on "Extensions and applications" widens the perspective to other areas of linguistic research, such as historical, socio- and psycholinguistics. Exercises and a glossary are also provided.