A Companion to Linguistic Anthropology

By Alessandro Duranti

A Companion to Linguistic Anthropology provides a series of in-depth explorations of key concepts and approaches by some of the scholars whose work constitutes the theoretical and methodological foundations of the contemporary study of language as culture.

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• Provides a definitive overview of the field of linguistic anthropology, comprised of original contributions by leading scholars in the field
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• Summarizes past and contemporary research across the field and is intended to spur students and scholars to pursue new paths in the coming decades
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• Includes a comprehensive bibliography of over 2000 entries designed as a resource for anyone seeking a guide to the literature of linguistic anthropology

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Apr 15, 2008
• ISBN: 9780470997260

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Reviews for A Companion to Linguistic Anthropology

[quaintlittlehead · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book covers a range of topics relevant to linguistic anthropology through a series of chapters written in a fully readable and engaging style. The authors appropriately realise that not all linguists are fully grounded in matters of anthropology, and not all anthropologists have a strong background in linguistics; thus, the book is appropriate for uninitiated readers, yet manages to offer a serious treatment of scholarly topics that should appeal to more experienced readers. The book is organised so that early chapters deal with basic concepts such as the definition of a speech community, language contact, and codeswitching, while the latter chapters deal with heavier philosophical questions such as issues of language and agency. In between, the contributors cover a broad selection of issues, including particulars of Native American and sign languages, literacy, gesture, poetry, language and music, conversation analysis, sociolinguistics, and religious language. As such, this volume makes a great text for an anthropological linguistics/linguistic anthropology course, or a nice supplemental source for a sociolinguistics class.Readers should note that Alessandro Duranti is also the author of a textbook entitled "Linguistic Anthropology." The title of this text somewhat misleadingly suggests that the two books are related, but in fact they are not; this book is meant as a companion to the field, and stands perfectly well on its own, though Duranti's other text is also a great read to combine with this one in an introductory course.