Editor Green (anthropology, Texas A&M Univ.) and 41 contributors have put together an introduction to nearly 100 martial arts from all over the world. The result is not a comprehensive overview, but it does give the reader a glimpse into martial arts beyond the familiar karate and kung fu. Some articles present a nation's or region's martial arts (Philippines and Africa, for example); others focus on specific martial arts, ranging from the well-known (karate, judo, fencing) to the not-so-known (silat, capoeira, kali, naginata-do) to the historical (dueling, medieval swordsmanship) to philosophical topics (religion and spiritual development, social uses of martial arts). The articles are an uneven mix of scholarly research and popular topics, and many are dryly academic. Martial arts experts will notice some errors and evidence of bias in several articles, but overall this is a useful introduction for martial arts practitioners and general readers. Libraries with a martial arts collection and larger public libraries should acquire this. Katharine L. Kan, Allen Cty. P.L., Fort Wayne, IN
Using a wide range of twentieth-century literary prose, Laura Wright and Jonathan Hope provide an interactive introduction to the techniques of stylistic analysis. ...
..... Divided up into five sections: the noun phrase, the verb phrase, the clause, text structure and vocabulary.....
.....the book also provides an introduction to the basics of descriptive grammar for beginning students.
An Introduction to Applied Linguistics (Edinburgh Textbooks in Applied Linguistics)
Language and language problems affect all of us and are an integral part of our social experience.
In An Introduction to Applied Linguistics, Professor Davies takes this simple fact as his starting point and sets out to show that applied linguistics is better understood by doing it than studying or reading about it. Beginning with the history and definitions of applied linguistics, he then looks at the full spectrum of 'institutional' and 'non-institutional' uses of language, spanning not only language learning and teaching but also language as a socio-psychological phenomenon. Whilst setting this practical outlook against the historical background of changing public needs and competing ideologies, Davies shows that a theory can be derived.
The book has been updated throughout. The amendments include a re-examination of the Linguistics Applied-Applied Linguistics opposition, a survey of Applied Linguistics curricula, a consideration of whether there is any difference between the terms Educational Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, further discussion of the role of correctness and of ethics and a new study of the challenges to Applied Linguistics of socio-cultural theory, the theorising of World Englishes and the concept of the native speaker. There is a new final chapter which surveys the whole volume and makes connections with the other volumes in the Series.
Psycholinguistics: The Key Concepts is an authoritative, wide-ranging and up-to-date A to Z guide to this important field. Cross-referenced, with suggestions for further reading and a full index, the book is a highly accessible introduction to the main terms and concepts in psycholinguistics.
