W. Terrence Gordon. Illustrated by Susan Willmarth.

Linguistics For Beginners is the first book to make the arcane labors of linguistics accessible to general readers. It begins with a lucid definition of language and proceeds to examine how it becomes the subject matter of linguistics. Key topics include the contrast between writing and speech, and elementary lessons in analyses ranging from simple sounds to entire sentences. Absurd fictions such as Eskimos having hundreds of words for snow are exploded, and the borderlands between linguistics and philosophy are investigated. The book teaches concise lessons using wit and whimsy making for a memorable learning experience.