The phenomenon of language and its current research. Linguistics encompasses more than just the basics such as sounds, words and sentences. The textbook therefore goes beyond the grammatical disciplines to cover numerous topics that arouse interest in the subject of linguistics: linguistic interaction, variation and change, language contact and multilingualism, language and culture, origins of language, etc. The large format and two-colour layout make it easy to get an overview. Comprehensive and compact - ideal for BA students.