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  3. Cambridge Introductions to the English Language

Cambridge Introductions to the English Language is a series of accessible undergraduate textbooks on the key topics encountered in the study of the English Language. Tailored to suit the needs of individual taught course modules, each book is written by an author with extensive experience of teaching the topic to undergraduates. The books assume no prior subject knowledge, and present the basic facts in a clear and straightforward manner, making them ideal for beginners. They are designed to be maximally reader-friendly, with chapter summaries, glossaries, and suggestions for further reading. Extensive exercises and discussion questions are included, encouraging students to consolidate and develop their learning, and providing essential homework material. A website accompanies each book, featuring solutions to the exercises and useful additional resources. Set to become the leading introductions to the field, books in this series provide the essential knowledge and skills for those embarking on English Language studies.

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11 results in Cambridge Introductions to the English Language

English Phonetics and Phonology
  • An Introduction
  • Frank Lorenz
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    July 2025
    Print publication:
    31 July 2025
  • This textbook provides a detailed yet accessible foundational account of the science of speech sounds. Suitable for introductory courses, this textbook presents the key skills and knowledge needed to differentiate between letters and sounds and how they are influenced by stress, rhythm and intonation. With a focus on the sound system of English, examples from other languages are explored and included throughout allowing students to identify language contrasts. Readers will discover what can be measured in speech and learn the basic functions of Praat. Students will learn how to read and create transcripts accurately using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and apply this knowledge through end-of-chapter exercises. Exploring topics across fourteen chapters, instructors can tailor the content to suit combined or separate modules. This textbook is suitable for first year undergraduate students, or anyone interested in developing a fundamental and sustained knowledge of the sound structure of the English language.

English Sociolinguistics
  • An Introduction
  • Daniel Schreier
  • Coming soon
  • Expected online publication date:
    May 2025
    Print publication:
    31 May 2025
  • Covering both traditional topics and innovative approaches, this textbook constitutes a comprehensive introduction to English sociolinguistics. Reflecting the field's breadth and diversity, it guides students through the development of research on language and society over the last sixty years, as well as global trends and related fields such as World Englishes, language politics, language and inequality, and translanguaging. It features practical activities, for both individual work and in-class discussion, as well as vignettes introducing specific case studies, additional information on 'out of the box' topics, key terms, and examples from around the world and various social settings. Inspiring, personal and authoritative interviews with leading sociolinguists conclude the book. Assuming only a basic understanding of the English sound system and its grammar, and supported online by additional activities and selected model answers, this is the ideal text for undergraduates wanting an accessible and modern introduction to the field.

Pragmatics in English
  • An Introduction
  • Kate Scott
  • Published online:
    29 December 2022
    Print publication:
    29 December 2022
  • Pragmatics – the study of language in context, and of how we understand what other people say – is a core subject in English language, linguistics, and communication studies. This textbook introduces the key topics in this fast-moving field, including metaphor, irony, politeness, disambiguation, and reference assignment. It walks the reader through the essential theories in pragmatics, including Grice, relevance theory, speech act theory, and politeness theory. Each chapter includes a range of illustrative examples, guiding readers from the basic principles to a thorough understanding of the topics. A dedicated chapter examines how research is conducted in pragmatics, providing students with resources and ideas for developing their own projects. Featuring exercises, a comprehensive glossary, and suggestions for further reading, this book is accessible to beginner undergraduates, including those with no prior knowledge of linguistics. It is an essential resource for courses in English language, English studies, and linguistics.

English around the World
  • An Introduction
  • 2nd edition
  • Edgar W. Schneider
  • Published online:
    25 September 2020
    Print publication:
    30 July 2020
  • The global spread of English has had widespread linguistic, social, and cultural implications, affecting the lives of millions of people around the world. This textbook provides a lively and accessible introduction to world Englishes, describing varieties used in regions as diverse as America, the Caribbean, Australia, Africa, and Asia, and setting them within their historical and social contexts. Students are guided through the material with chapter summaries, discussion questions and exercises, and a comprehensive glossary, helping them to understand different varieties of English. The second edition is substantially updated, including new sections on English as a Lingua Franca, blurring boundaries, and research methods and resources. The book is accompanied by a useful website, containing textual and audio examples of the varieties introduced in the text. Providing essential knowledge and skills for those embarking on the study of world Englishes, this is a timely update of the leading introduction to the subject.

Linguistics and English Literature
  • An Introduction
  • H. D. Adamson
  • Published online:
    23 March 2019
    Print publication:
    04 April 2019
  • Concise and engaging, this textbook introduces stylistics, the application of linguistics to literary analysis. Assuming no prior knowledge of linguistics, H. D. Adamson discusses linguistics before addressing its application to literature, enabling students to become knowledgeable in both fields. Targeted specifically at undergraduate literature students, the book covers a wide range of topics in linguistics and literary criticism, as well as a variety of literary genres and popular culture, from poems and contemporary literature to comic book art and advertising. Providing numerous examples throughout, linguistic concepts are clearly and accessibly presented in an easy-to-digest way, accompanied by numerous examples and a glossary of key terms. Each chapter features exercises, inviting students to apply specific linguistic knowledge to the analysis of literary texts, as well as further reading suggestions, figures and tables, and highlighted key terms. Supplementary online resources include additional exercises, further reading suggestions, useful links, discussion questions, key term flashcards, and an answer booklet for instructors.

The Emergence and Development of English
  • An Introduction
  • William A. Kretzschmar, Jr
  • Published online:
    12 December 2018
    Print publication:
    25 October 2018
  • This textbook provides a step-by-step introduction to the history of the English language (HEL), offering a fresh perspective on the process of language change. Aimed at undergraduate students, The Emergence and Development of English is accessibly written, and contains a wealth of pedagogical tools, including chapter openers, key terms, chapter summaries, end-of-chapter exercises and suggestions for further reading. A central theme of the book is 'emergence', the key term from the study of complex systems, which describes how massive numbers of random verbal interactions give rise to regularities that 'emerge' without specific causes. This unique approach encourages readers to incorporate complex systems into the mainstream coverage of HEL. Additional resources include examples of language from each period, as well as appendices on terminology, online resources and audio samples.

Meaning in English
  • An Introduction
  • Javier Valenzuela
  • Published online:
    28 May 2018
    Print publication:
    19 April 2017
  • This lively, compact textbook introduces readers to semantics - the study of how we construct meaning in communication. Easy to follow, and with a clear structure, it explains formal terminology in a simple and understandable way, without using formal notation or logic, and draws on dozens of examples from up-to-date empirical research findings. Offering a tight integration of classic semantic issues with cognitive science, Javier Valenzuela provides a complete and coherent overview of the main topics in this area, including a review of the empirical methods used in semantic theorizing, and discussions of both non-traditional and new topics, such as how meaning is acquired by children and how meaning is constructed cross-linguistically. Featuring illustrations, exercises, activities, suggestions for further reading, highlighted key terms, and a comprehensive glossary, this book is accessible to beginners and undergraduates, including those from non-linguistic backgrounds with no prior knowledge of linguistic analysis. It will be an essential resource for courses in English language, English studies, linguistics and the cognitive sciences.

English Words and Sentences
  • An Introduction
  • Eva Duran Eppler, Gabriel Ozón
  • Published online:
    05 February 2013
    Print publication:
    20 December 2012
  • Hands-on, theory-neutral and non-technical, this textbook is a basic introduction to the structure of English words and sentences. Assuming no prior knowledge of linguistic analysis, it presents the facts in a straightforward manner and offers a step-by-step guide from small to large building blocks of language. Every chapter contains numerous exercises and discussion questions, which provide essential self-study material, as well as in-chapter tasks which lead students to a more comprehensive understanding of linguistic issues. The book also features concise chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, an inclusive glossary and two consolidation chapters which encourage students to secure their understanding of the English language. The dedicated companion website includes further exercises, answers and solutions to the exercises, as well as useful links.

The Sound Structure of English
  • An Introduction
  • Chris McCully
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    26 February 2009
  • The Sound Structure of English provides a clear introduction to English phonetics and phonology. Tailored to suit the needs of individual, one-term course modules, it assumes no prior knowledge of the subject, and presents the basic facts in a straightforward manner, making it the ideal text for beginners. Students are guided step-by-step through the main concepts and techniques of phonetic and phonological analysis, aided by concise chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, and a comprehensive glossary of all the terms introduced. Each chapter is accompanied by an engaging set of exercises and discussion questions, encouraging students to consolidate and develop their learning, and providing essential self-study material. The book is accompanied by a companion website, featuring solutions to the exercises and useful additional resources. Providing the essential knowledge and skills for those embarking on the study of English sounds, it is set to become the leading introduction to the field.

Old English
  • A Linguistic Introduction
  • Jeremy J. Smith
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    02 April 2009
  • Old English provides a clear linguistic introduction to English between the 5th century and the Norman invasion in 1066. Tailored to suit the needs of individual course modules, it assumes no prior knowledge of the subject, and presents the basic facts in a straightforward manner, making it the ideal beginners' text. Students are guided step-by-step through the main characteristics and developments of English during that period, aided by concise chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, and a comprehensive glossary. Each chapter is accompanied by an engaging set of exercises and discussion questions based on authentic Anglo-Saxon texts, encouraging students to consolidate their learning, and providing essential self-study material. The book is accompanied by a companion website, featuring solutions to the exercises and useful additional resources. Providing essential knowledge and skills for those embarking on the study of Old English, it is set to become the leading introduction to the subject.

English Around the World
  • An Introduction
  • Edgar W. Schneider
  • Published online:
    05 June 2012
    Print publication:
    20 December 2010
  • The global spread of English has had widespread linguistic, social and cultural implications, affecting the lives of millions of people around the world. This textbook provides a lively and accessible introduction to world Englishes, describing varieties used in places as broad-ranging as America, Jamaica, Australia, Africa and Asia, and setting them within their historical and social contexts. Students are guided through the material with chapter previews and summaries, maps, timelines, lists of key terms, discussion questions and exercises, and a comprehensive glossary, helping them to understand, analyse and compare different varieties of English, and apply descriptive terminology. The book is accompanied by a useful web site, containing textual and audio examples of the varieties introduced in the text, and links to related sources of interest. Providing essential knowledge and skills for those embarking on the study of world Englishes, this is set to become the leading introduction to the subject.