Basics of Language for Language Learners

Peter W. Culicover and Elizabeth V. Hume

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“Peter W. Culicover and Elizabeth V. Hume’s book Basics of Language for Language Learners is a must-read for language teachers as well as language learners. The accessible explanations and examples provide fodder for teacher-facilitated discussions related to the Comparisons Standards in Pre-K through university world language classrooms.” —Deborah W. Robinson, Ph.D., President, National Council of State Supervisors for Languages

Learning a language involves so much more than just rote memorization of rules. Basics of Language for Language Learners systematically explores all the aspects of language central to second language learning: the sounds of language, the different grammatical structures, the social functions of communication, and the psychology of language learning and use. Peter W. Culicover and Elizabeth V. Hume guide the reader through all the nuances that empower a person, regardless of age, to be a much more effective, efficient, and proficient language learner.

Unlike books specific to one single language, Basics of Language will help students of all languages. Readers will gain insight into the structure and use of their own language and will therefore see more clearly how the language they are learning differs from their first language. Language instructors will find the approach provocative, and the book will stimulate many new and effective ideas for teaching. Both a textbook and a reference work, Basics of Language will enhance the learning experience for anyone taking a foreign language course as well as the do-it-yourself learner.

Peter W. Culicover is Humanities Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at The Ohio State University, and Elizabeth V. Hume is professor and chair of the Department of Linguistics at The Ohio State University.