edward sapir language an introduction to the study of speech

This is more than one can say of Chomsky's claims for a language faculty or a universal grammar back in the 70's. Written almost a hundred years ago it still rings true and remains relevant to contemporary approaches to language. It really is a classic in the field of linguistics - the scientific study of language. I read this book years ago and just recently picked it up again and began to read it again. Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech by Edward Sapir.

It is true that we often feel awkward with “whom”, and often aren’t quite sure when to use it or not, but it just seems to keep tottering on and on. Now, 90 years later, John McWhorter also sneers at the word. He thought “whom” was on its way out of the English language, citing several tendencies in English that worked against it. Something that I thought was amusing was Sapir’s discussion of the word “whom”. He really seems to know what he is talking about. He gives examples from languages from all over the world, and of many types. The book is about 90 years old, so I don’t know how much has changed in the field since then, but McWhorter recommended it, so I suppose it must still be current. But the books neglects to define some of the basic technical terms that a beginner needs, so that it also seems like a summary aimed at a scholar who has spent several years in the field.

After reading the book I thought that it was a good one to read before you start studying linguistics – it seems to cover a lot of the field, giving the reader a feel for the subject. I am watching John McWhorter’s Great Course on Linguistics, in which he recommends Sapir’s book as a general introduction to linguistics.

Edward sapir language an introduction to the study of speech