The SAGE Handbook of Sociolinguistics
- Ruth Wodak - University of Lancaster, UK
- Barbara Johnstone - Carnegie Mellon University, USA
- Paul E Kerswill - University of Lancaster, UK
This Handbook answers a long-standing need for an up-to-date, comprehensive, international, in-depth critical survey of the history, trajectory, data, results and key figures involved in sociolinguistics.
The Handbook consists of six inter-linked sections:
- The History of Sociolinguistics
- Sociolinguistics and Social Theory
- Language, Variation and Change
- Interaction
- Multilingualism and Contact
- Applications
The result is a work of unprecedented coverage and insight. It is all here, from the foundational contributions to the field to the impact of new media, new technologies of communication, globalization, trans-border fluidities and agendas of research.
The book will quickly be recognized as a benchmark in the field. It will provide a basis for reckoning its origins and pathways of development as well as an authoritative account of the central debates and research issues of today.
This is an important volume for those interested in sociolinguistics. I have only adopted it as supplemental because the students I teach do not go into sociolinguistics in depth, but I like to recommend it to them because of its coverage.
Interesting and thought provoking read - clear discussion points are highlighted throughout. A valuable text that I am sure I will be using with my students over and over again.
'The SAGE Handbook of Sociolinguistics' needs to be considered as an obligatory title for any level of Sociolinguistics. It covers all the key features of the topic. I always keep it at my elbow.
Good coverage.
Several chapters of this book will be essential for my future reference lists as well as the current one on the politics of language in the European Union!
It is more than a "handbook" which shows the state-of-the-art of sociolinguistics. It is also amazing and surprising to see that many areas once studied in different sub-branches of linguistics (like pragmatics and discourse analysis) are included in this volume. As far as I could see, it is the most comprehensive book of sociolinguistics in the market. It is a must-read for anyone who is studying sociolinguistics.
Very comprehensive and reader friendly collection of major chapters and articles. Provides an excellent overview of the current approaches to sociolinguistics. The book is a good referencebook for students, suitable especially for reading groups.
The book is excellent in the sense that it is a full survey of the subject as a state-of-the-art. For undergraduate level in EFL environment, it would be advanced but for MA programmes in Linguistics and ELT, I think it will serve as a very important supplementary handbook.
I considered using The Handbook of Sociolinguistics as one of recommended / suplementary readings for my English for Academic or Specific courses at the University Language Centre of the Ruhr-University in Bochum.
The book as such proves to be very useful for course teacher(s) when designing the curriculum and actual course materials, will however be far too detailed and specific for students in the course in question.
Awareness of sociolinguistic aspects, above all of multilingualism and interaction within EAP / ESP characteristic features, is crucial for their proper implementation in further academic and professional careers, should nevertheless be enhanced with more practical and task-based publications / materials. Moreover, my worry is that the Handbook does not cater for the needs of mixed-ability classes, with participants coming from various academic backgrounds (engineering, science, humanities etc.) - the case we have here at RUB Language Centre. Students with limited or no linguistics background may find it difficult to work with the Handbook.
Sample Materials & Chapters
Chapter 1: Ferguson and Fishman: Sociolinguistics and the Sociology of Language
