Language in the USA

Language in the USA is a volume of specially commissioned studies on the language situation in America.

Charles A. Ferguson (Edited by), Shirley Brice Heath (Edited by)

9780521298346, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 31 August 1981

632 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.6 cm, 0.92 kg

Language in the USA is a volume of specially commissioned studies on the language situation in America, how it came to be the way it is, and the forces of changes within it. The USA has its own unique pattern of languages: American English, the principal language, different in structure and use from other kinds of English in the world; two hundred American Indian languages, some of them flourishing as never before; Spanish, spoken in North America before English and now the second most important language in the country; a cost of immigrant languages, each with a different history of accommodation to the American scene. The book explains the place of these various languages and how they are used in education, the professions, and general communication. Language in the USA is a work of reference, which gives an accessible account of the very considerable research in this area done by linguists, sociologists, educationalists, and anthropologists.

Preface
The authors
Notes on symbols
Introduction Charles A. Ferguson and Shirley Brice Heath
Part I. American English: Introduction
1. English in our language heritage Shirley Brice Heath
2. American English and other Englishes Braj B. Kachru
3. Varieties of American English Walt Wolfram
4. Creoles of the USA Patricia C. Nichols
5. Language among Black Americans Elizabeth Whatley
Part II. Languages before English: Introduction
6. American Indian languages William L. Leap
7. Native American writing systems Willard Walker
8. Indian lingua franca Allan R. Taylor
9. New World Spanish Jerry R. Craddock
Part III. Languages after English: Introduction
10. Language variety among Puerto Ricans Ana Celia Zentella
11. The language of Italian Americans Yole Correa-Zoli
12. French and German: a comparative study Glenn G. Gilbert
13. The speech and writing of Jews David L. Gold
14. Slavic languages in the new environment Vera M. Henzl
15. The Filipinos: a special case James Beebe and Maria Beebe
16. Profile of a state: Montana Anthony F. Beltramo
Part IV. Language In Use: Introduction
17. The language of the law William M. O'Barr
18. Language and medicine Aaron V. Cicourel
19. Ethnic differences in communicative style John J. Gumperz and Jenny Cook-Gumperz
20. Language in education: standardisation versus cultural pluralism Courtney B. Cazden and David K. Dickinson
21. Bilingualism and education Christina Bratt Paulston
22. Statistics on language use Dorothy Waggoner
23. Language policy: past, present, and future Joshua A. Fishman
Glossary
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Sociolinguistics [CFB]