English Vocabulary: The Basics offers a clear, non-jargonistic introduction to English vocabulary, the way linguists classify and explain it, and the place of vocabulary in our overall picture of the language, and in society. Introducing a range of terminology for discussing vocabulary, the reader is provided with a coherent, structured description of what we know about words and their meanings.

Key features of this book include:

* Analysis of historical roots of present-day words

* Coverage of the differences between speech and writing and between formality and informality

* Understanding of the social implications of choices that readers make to use standard or non-standard (e.g., regional/dialect) vocabulary

* A focus on British English with reference to a wide range of varieties of English that include North American English, Irish English, Indian English, Malaysian English, Nigerian English and Caribbean English.

Featuring a glossary of key terms, cartoons and illustrations, further reading, reflection points, interesting "factoids" and examples from corpora from around the world, this book is an engaging and thought-provoking read for anyone with an interest in English vocabulary.

About the Author

Michael McCarthy is Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics, University of Nottingham, and Adjunct Professor of Applied Linguistics, University of Limerick. He has (co-)authored and edited 58 books and was co-founder (with Ronald Carter) of the CANCODE spoken English corpus. He has lectured in 46 countries and has been involved in language teaching and applied linguistics for 57 years.

Reviews

This is a book for all of us who wonder where words in English come from, how they relate to each other, what patterns they occur in, how we store them in our minds, and what choices we make when we use words and why. This highly readable volume draws on multiple sources including many years of Michael McCarthy's excellent scholarship, corpus evidence, examples from varieties of English and a keen interest in language and language learning.

Averil Coxhead, Professor in Applied Linguistics, Victoria University of Wellington

Book Information
ISBN 9781032256979
Author Michael McCarthy
Format Paperback
Page Count 186
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 100g