understanding linguistic diversity Edwards, John. creator author. text London, UK Bloomsbury Academic c2023 2nd ed. monographic ix, 251 pages : b&w figs. ; 22 cm. "Multilingualism is everywhere in our globalised society. Delving into the 'social life' of languages, John Edwards provides a brief yet compelling overview of multilingualism and its sociocultural implications and consequences. Covering major topics including language origins, language death, lingua francas, pidgins, creoles and artificial languages, this book provides a complete introduction to what happens when languages meet. A vital primer for anybody interested in multilingualism, this new edition has been refreshed and updated, expanding its coverage and adding new topics such as linguistic imperialism, minority languages, and folk linguistics. A brand new chapter on recent developments also covers the linguistic landscape, language planning, the 'new speaker' phenomenon and digital multilingualisms. Accessibly written in an engaging style which assumes no prior knowledge, this book is an essential introduction for anybody interested in multilingualism and language."-- Provided by publisher. Contents: Prologue. -- 1. Language Origins and Language Diversity. -- 2. Interpreting Language Diversity. -- 3. The Emergence and Measurement of Multilingualism. -- 4. Dialects and Other Language Varieties. -- 5. Multilingual Abilities. -- 6. The Consequences of Babel: Lingua Francas and Translation. -- 7. Keeping Languages Pure. -- 8. Languages and Identities. -- 9. Language Decline and Revival: Basic Factors. -- 10. Language Decline and Revival: Advocacy and Activism. -- 11. Language Planning and the Ecology of Language. -- 12. Postmodern Perspectives. -- Epilogue. -- Bibliography. -- Index. by John Edwards. Includes bibliographical references and index. Ref 306.446 Ed95m 2023 9781350195417 20260910100233.0