Introduction to Linguistics

[mayneverhave]

I haven't asked a question on this forum in some time (not because I don't have any, that is), but I was wondering:

For some of the more studied individuals here, what book (or books) would serve as the best introduction to the study of linguistics? My ultimate goals are to move on to Chomsky, Saussure, Derrida, etc, but I feel starting immediately with "Of Grammatology" would amount to starting off with Pounds Cantos in a study of poetry.

[Mag Master 21]

Check out Steven Pinker... he may have some topics that interest you.

[Wilde woman]

Hi there, are you taking a course on introductory linguistics? Or are you just trying to learn on your own? I minored in linguistics as an undergrad and I personally think it's difficult to learn linguistics without instruction because a large part of it is practicing it. But huge kudos for trying it! I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

I currently cannot find my introductory linguistics book, but I'll keep looking. here are a couple more you may find interesting:

1) Historical Linguistics by Lyle Campbell: http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Linguistics-2nd-Lyle-Campbell/dp/0262532670/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233958610&sr=1-19

This was my textbook in my historical linguistics class (which was by far the most interesting ling class I took). Historical linguistics is about how languages change and transform over time, due to various causes. I really liked this textbook, first of all, because I actually understood it. :lol: It also gives examples in LOTS of different languages. (Just a warning: in ling textbooks, you're bound to find examples in languages you've never heard of - often endangered or extinct languages - just because those are the specialty languages that the author studies.) And in the later chapters, this book also introduces some of the broad conflicting theories about language change, which are very interesting.

2) An Introduction to Syntax by Robert van Valin: http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Syntax-Robert-van-Valin/dp/0521635667/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233959045&sr=1-5

Again, this was my textbook in my introductory syntax class. I don't recommend this one quite as much as the first, but it's passable for learning basic syntax. FYI, Chomsky was a syntactician. You can't get away from him in the world of syntax. And this book goes over his major theories of generative grammar. I don't remember if van Valin is a proponent of Chomsky. I want to say no, he's not (but I don't remember that well)...because he gives a lot of focus to other syntax theories.

I never got to the point where I studied the big names like Chomsky, Sassure, or Derrida in my linguistics classes. I learned about them mainly in my lit courses. For more on them, you may want to check out books on cognitive linguistics (but GOOD LUCK with deciphering those!).

3) You Just Don't Understand: Women and men in conversation by Deborah Tannen: http://www.amazon.com/You-Just-Dont-Understand-Conversation/dp/0060959622/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233959588&sr=1-1

This one is just for fun. It's in the realm of social linguistics, studying the differences in typical male and female discourse. I read this as a part of my gender and linguistics class. It's reaaaaally interesting and by far the most accessible of all the books I've recommended so far. Deborah Tannen practically spawned this field of linguistics (gender study) so this book is like the Holy Grail of linguistics and gender studies. It shows how men and women do actually seem to speak different languages and why they so often misunderstand each other. You may or may not buy it, but it's definitely worth thinking about.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck!

[Etienne]

I never got to the point where I studied the big names like Chomsky, Sassure, or Derrida in my linguistics classes.

You minored in linguistics and you didn't see them???

My own recommendation would be the obvious Saussure's Course in General Linguistics, which is basically the beginning of linguistics, and a kind of Bible. Besides some recent didactical book on Linguistics to see the important notions like Jakobson communication functions (which if you study linguistics at university one day will soon start to bore you to death, it's staple), the different approaches, the terminology, phonetics, etc.

[mayneverhave]

Hi there, are you taking a course on introductory linguistics? Or are you just trying to learn on your own? I minored in linguistics as an undergrad and I personally think it's difficult to learn linguistics without instruction because a large part of it is practicing it. But huge kudos for trying it! I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

I do not believe my university (the lowly La Salle University) has a linguistics department. I am an English major, minoring in Philosophy.

Honestly though, as of late my intellectual curiosity has been rather insatiable. Almost everything interests me (except, perhaps, bass fishing), and my readings of Wittgenstein, Ayer, and Russell have motivated me to learn more about logic, semantics, the philosophy of language, etc. - and not necessarily just the aesthetic study of literature. Ultimately, I'm an aesthete, but I have a very strong scientific side.

Oh, and thank you, everyone, so far for your recommendations. I will be sure to check them out.

[JBI]

In Canada, from what I know, the first year courses start mostly by looking at and memorizing the IPA chart. Maybe that is a good place.

[Jeremiah Jazzz]

I actual like Derrida and Chomsky. This is probably is because I know very little about ze linguistics. I have a few books (the aforementioned 'Of Grammatology' being one). I have this book from this excellent UK book serious, simply called 'Introducing Linguistics'. It's great and easy to read seeing how the format of the book is in comics. Any 'Introducing...' book is a great start to the most complex philosophical ideas.