Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction is a comprehensive and authoritative textbook designed to introduce students to the fundamentals and diverse subfields of modern linguistics. It aims to provide a balanced understanding of language, covering not only its internal structure but also its broader function within social and cognitive contexts.

The textbook is meticulously structured to serve as both an engaging entry point for beginners and a lasting reference resource for students throughout their academic careers.

Core Content Areas:

The book explores all the essential, or 'core,' areas of linguistic study, typically including:

Phonetics (the study of speech sounds)

Phonology (the patterning of speech sounds)

Morphology (word structure)

Syntax (sentence structure)

Semantics (meaning)

Historical Linguistics (how languages change over time)

Interdisciplinary Focus:

Beyond the core topics, the book also delves into numerous interdisciplinary areas where language intersects with other fields:

Psycholinguistics (language processing and the brain)

First and Second Language Acquisition

Sociolinguistics (language in social contexts)

Computational Linguistics (a fast-growing area)

By balancing theory with practical analysis, often including problem sets and exercises, the book encourages students to learn by "doing linguistics," equipping them with the tools necessary for more advanced study.