Sign-In
Cart
Understanding Language through Humor
Paperback
Please select the version of book you would like to purchase.
ISBN10: 1108740065
ISBN13: 9781108740067
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: Jun 4 2026
Pages: 422
Weight: 1.25
Height: 0.87 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
ISBN13: 9781108740067
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: Jun 4 2026
Pages: 422
Weight: 1.25
Height: 0.87 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Entertaining usage of language is all around us and can explain more about how language works than we realise. This lively and engaging book explains key linguistic concepts, illustrated throughout with humorous and entertaining examples. Providing an accessible yet comprehensive survey of the field, it is especially helpful for students who might struggle with an overly technical text. Now in its second edition, it has been extensively updated and expanded to be more comprehensive and include culturally relevant content, from memes to smartphone autocorrect errors, to misheard song lyrics. It includes four new chapters on lexical meaning, onomastics, writing systems, and language in the digital world. Key linguistic terminology is clearly introduced throughout, ensuring that students are well equipped for more technical and formal courses in their later studies. With thorough coverage of nearly all linguistic subfields, the book is an ideal text for an introduction to linguistics or language.
1 different editions
Also available
Also from
Dubinsky, Stanley
Also in
Linguistics
The Well-Spoken Thesaurus: The Most Powerful Ways to Say Everyday Words and Phrases
Heehler, Tom
Paperback
$18.99
How to Kill a Language: Power, Resistance, and the Race to Save Our Words
Galer, Sophia Smith
Hardcover
$28.80
My First Book of Patterns Pencil Control: Patterns Practice Book for Kids (Pattern Writing)
Wonder House Books
Paperback
$5.69
Korean Stories for Language Learners: Traditional Folktales in Korean and English (Free Online Audio)
You, Eunsun
Damron, Julie
Paperback
$17.09
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary
Winchester, Simon
Paperback
$18.04
Learning Japanese Hiragana and Katakana: A Workbook for Self-Study
Takagaki, Tetsuo
Henshall, Kenneth G.
Paperback
$13.25
The Perfect English Grammar Workbook: Simple Rules and Quizzes to Master Today's English
McLendon, Lisa
Paperback
$16.14
Remembering the Kanji 1: A Complete Course on How Not to Forget the Meaning and Writing of Japanese Characters
Heisig, James W.
Paperback
$47.60
Print and Cursive Handwriting Workbook: 35 Lessons to Improve Your Penmanship
Sanders, Sally
Paperback
$13.29
Japanese Folktales for Language Learners: Bilingual Legends and Fables in Japanese and English (Free Online Audio Recording)
Sato, Anna
Sato, Eriko
Paperback
$18.99
English Vocabulary in Use Elementary Book with Answers: Vocabulary Reference and Practice
O'Dell, Felicity
McCarthy, Michael
Paperback
$33.25
Japanese Stories for Language Learners: Bilingual Stories in Japanese and English (Online Audio Included)
Sato, Eriko
McNulty, Anne
Paperback
$17.09
Conversational Japanese: A Practical Communication Guide for Visitors to Japan
Kaneko, Anne
Paperback
$15.19
Arabic Writing Workbook: Alphabet, Words, Sentences⎜Learn to write Arabic with this large and colorful handwriting workbook. For adults and kids
de Kerdoret, Soulayman
Paperback
$12.99
Vietnamese for Beginners: Learning Conversational Vietnamese (Free Online Audio)
Tran, Tri C.
Paperback
$18.99
Quack This Way: David Foster Wallace & Bryan A. Garner Talk Language and Writing
Wallace, David Foster
Garner, Bryan
Paperback
$18.00
Historically Black Phrases: From I Ain't One of Your Lil' Friends to Who All Gon' Be There?
Hill, Jarrett
Anderson, Tre'vell
Hardcover
$26.59
Reading and Writing Korean: A Workbook for Self-Study: A Beginner's Guide to the Hangeul Writing System (Free Online Audio and Printable Flash Cards)
Kiaer, Jieun
Driggs, Derek
Paperback
$14.24
Reading & Writing Thai: A Workbook for Self-Study: A Beginner's Guide to the Thai Alphabet and Pronunciation (Free Online Audio and Printable Flash Ca
Rattanakhemakorn, Jintana
Paperback
$14.24
Words to Love a Planet: An Illustrated Lexicon of Landscape, People, and Possibility
Sanders, Ella Frances
Hardcover
$22.49
Korean Folktales for Language Learners: Traditional Stories in English and Korean (Free Online Audio)
Killick, Andrew
Kim, Yeon-Jeong
Cho, Sukyeon
Paperback
$18.04
Arabic Folktales for Language Learners: Traditional Stories in Arabic and English (Free Bilingual Online Audio)
Risha, Sarah
Paperback
$18.99
Word Smart, 6th Edition: 1400+ Words That Belong in Every Savvy Student's Vocabulary
The Princeton Review
Paperback
From $11.99
English Idioms in Use Advanced Book with Answers: Vocabulary Reference and Practice
O'Dell, Felicity
McCarthy, Michael
Paperback
$33.25
Chinese Stories for Language Learners: A Treasury of Proverbs and Folktales in Bilingual Chinese and English (Online Audio Recordings Included)
Ling, Vivian
Wang, Peng
Paperback
$18.99
Language and Life on Ocracoke: The Living History of the Brogue
Reaser, Jeffrey
Wolfram, Walt
Gaskill, Candy
Paperback
$23.75
A Gateway to Sindarin: A Grammar of an Elvish Language from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
Salo, David
Paperback
$33.25
Arabic Stories for Language Learners: Traditional Middle Eastern Tales in Arabic and English (Online Included) [With CD (Audio)]
Mansur, Lutfi
Brosh, Hezi
Paperback
$18.95
The Navajo Language: The Elements Of Navajo Grammar With A Dictionary In Two Parts Containing Basic Vocabularies Of Navajo And English
Young, Robert W.
Morgan, William
Hardcover
$49.94
Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences
Florey, Kitty Burns
Paperback
From $11.99
Writing Japanese Hiragana: An Introductory Japanese Language Workbook: Learn and Practice the Japanese Alphabet
Gleeson, Jim
Paperback
$10.40
Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages
Deutscher, Guy
Paperback
$19.95
Chinese Folktales for Language Learners: Famous Folk Stories in Chinese and English (Free Online Audio Recordings)
Wang, Peng
Ling, Vivian
Paperback
$18.04
Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World
Sanders, Ella Frances
Hardcover
$15.19
A Navajo Alphabet Book For Kids: Diné Bizaad: Language Learning Educational Present For Toddlers, Babies & Children Age 1 - 3:
Press, Bilingual Kiddos
Paperback
$11.99
Japanese Kanji for Beginners: (Jlpt Levels N5 & N4) First Steps to Learn the Basic Japanese Characters [Includes Online Audio & Printable Flash Cards]
Stout, Timothy G.
Hakone, Kaori
Paperback
$16.10
The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography
Singh, Simon
Paperback
From $11.99
Ancient Greek Thematic Dictionary. Volume I: General Concepts, Dimensions, and Senses
Rico, Christophe
Hardcover
$75.00
The Indo-Europeans Rediscovered: How a Scientific Revolution Is Rewriting Their Story
Mallory, J. P.
Hardcover
$37.95
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World
Anthony, David W.
Paperback
$37.44
'O Faia Fa'atumua O Samoa Mai Tala O Le Vavau
Papalii, Aumua Mataitusi Sima
Simanu, 'Aumua Mata'itusi
Paperback
$36.25
Mastering Logical Fallacies: The Definitive Guide to Flawless Rhetoric and Bulletproof Logic
Withey, Michael
Paperback
$16.14
Japanese Kanji Made Easy: An Easy Step-By-Step Workbook to Learn the Basic Japanese Kanji (JLPT N5)
Lingo Mastery
Paperback
$11.31
Reading & Writing Farsi (Persian): A Workbook for Self-Study: A Beginner's Guide to the Farsi Script and Language (Free Online Audio & Printable Flash
Vil, Pegah
Ahooie, Amir Hossein
Paperback
$16.14
English Vocabulary in Use Elementary Book with Answers and Enhanced eBook: Vocabulary Reference and Practice
McCarthy, Michael
O'Dell, Felicity
Paperback
$33.25
English Short Stories for Beginners: Learn English With Stories From an American Life
Guru, Language
Paperback
$8.54
I Is an Other: The Secret Life of Metaphor and How It Shapes the Way We See the World
Geary, James
Paperback
From $10.99
English Short Stories for Intermediate Learners: Learn English and Build Your Vocabulary the Fun and Easy Way
Guru, Language
Paperback
$8.54
How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding and Using Bible Versions
Fee, Gordon D.
Strauss, Mark L.
Paperback
$18.74
Learn Japanese with Manga Volume Two: A Self-Study Language Guide (Free Online Audio)
Bernabe, Marc
Paperback
$18.99
An Apple a Day: Learn 25 Idioms and Sayings in English, Spanish, French, and Italian
Tartaglia, Michela
Hardcover
$18.95
Basics of Akkadian: A Grammar, Workbook, and Glossary
Hugenberger, Gordon P.
Erickson, Nancy L.
Paperback
$74.99
Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks
Houston, Keith
Paperback
$18.00
The Lexicon: A Cornucopia of Wonderful Words for the Inquisitive Word Lover
Buckley, William F., Jr.
Buckley, William F., Jr.
Paperback
$14.99
Aprender inglés para adultos principiantes: 3 libros en 1: ¡Habla inglés en 30 días!
Towin, Explore
Paperback
$29.96
The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention
Deutscher, Guy
Paperback
$21.84
Learn Korean - The Language Workbook for Beginners: An Easy, Step-by-Step Study Book and Writing Practice Guide for Learning How to Read, Write, and T
Lee, Jennie
Polyscholar
Paperback
$25.61
Elementary Korean Workbook: A Complete Language Activity Book for Beginners (Free Online Audi)
Lee, Insun
Paperback
$18.95
Enhancing Instruction for Multilingual Learners: Coaching Practices to Empower Students
Polk, Paula
Paperback
$35.10
Tuttle Practical Cambodian Dictionary: English-Cambodian Cambodian-English
Smyth, David
Kien, Tran
Paperback
$16.10
The Slangman Guide to STREET SPEAK 1: The Complete Course in American Slang & Idioms
Burke, David
Paperback
$27.54
The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building
Peterson, David J.
Paperback
From $12.99
Arabic for Beginners: A Guide to Modern Standard Arabic (Free Online Audio and Printable Flash Cards)
Risha, Sarah
Paperback
$18.04
Japanese Kanji Fast Finder: Find the Character You Need in a Single Step!
Matthews, Laurence
Paperback
$18.04
Easy Thai: A Complete Language Course and Pocket Dictionary in One! (Free Companion Online Audio)
Rattanakhemakorn, Jintana
Paperback
$14.24
Learning Korean: A Language Guide for Beginners: Learn to Speak, Read and Write Korean Quickly! (Free Online Audio & Flash Cards)
Damron, Julie
Baik, Juno
Paperback
$15.19
Trace Letters and Numbers Workbook: Learn How to Write Alphabet Upper and Lower Case and Numbers
Noosita, Nina
Paperback
$11.99
Basic Tagalog: Learn to Speak Modern Filipino/ Tagalog - The National Language of the Philippines: Revised Third Edition (with Online Audio)
Aspillera, Paraluman S.
Hernandez, Yolanda Canseco
Paperback
$18.04
English Short Stories for Beginners and Intermediate Learners: Learn English and Build Your Vocabulary
Guru, Language
Paperback
$8.54
Japan Now! a Japanese Language Reader: Bilingual Stories and Essays about Contemporary Japan (with Free Online Audio Recordings)
Sato, Anna
Sato, Eriko
Paperback
$18.04
Vietnamese Stories for Language Learners: Traditional Folktales in Vietnamese and English (Free Online Audio)
Le, Tram
Tran, Tri C.
Paperback
$17.09
Chinese for Beginners: Learning Conversational Chinese (Fully Romanized and Free Online Audio)
Liang, Xiyuan
Ren, Yi
Paperback
$18.04
Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World
Bergstrom, Carl T.
West, Jevin D.
Paperback
$19.00
The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji: (Jlpt All Levels) Remembering and Understanding the 2,136 Standard Characters
Seely, Christopher
Henshall, Kenneth G.
Paperback
$28.45
Japanese Kanji and Kana Workbook: A Self-Study Workbook for Learning Japanese Characters
Hadamitzky, Wolfgang
Spahn, Mark
Paperback
$17.05
Gwynne's Grammar: The Ultimate Introduction to Grammar and the Writing of Good English
Gwynne, N. M.
Paperback
$20.00
Tuttle Pocket Chinese Dictionary: English-Chinese Chinese-English (Fully Romanized)
Dong, Li
Paperback
From $5.99