Challenges in the Social Life of Language

'For more than a quarter of a century Professor John Edwards has stood as the traffic cop at the intersection of Psychology and Sociolinguistics, insisting that those coming from one direction pay heed to the other, and personally ensuring the forward movement of ideas. Besides his original research, he is one of the few scholars with the ability to produce a grand narrative of what the field has accomplished and where it is headed. Challenges in the Social Life of Language sees him, in his own words, reculer pour mieux sauter take a step back, the better to jump ahead. The book provides an unprecedentedly full and mature perspective on sociolinguistics and its adjacent disciplines that will enrich every reader's understanding of language, from the beginning student to the life-long adept.' John E. Joseph, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

'John Edwards has produced an incisive critique of the current scholarship on social dimensions of language. Particularly informative are his assessment of various conceptions of the 'ecology' of language, his discussion of the role that religion as an identity marker can play in language maintenance or revitalization, and his comparative overview of the rise of English as a major language since before the 15th century as well as its expansion as a world language since the 19th century. Students of language endangerment and loss in the context of globalization today wouldn't want to miss his balanced remarks on the state of the art.' - Salikoko S. Mufwene, The Frank J. McLoraine Distinguished Service Professor of Linguistics, University of Chicago, USA.

'Covering an amazingly broad range of topics in a lucid narrative, this volume brings the studies of language attitude, language and identity, language contact to a new critical height. It is both empirically rich and theoretically innovative. The book will be a key reference for scholars in a variety of fields for many years to come.' - Li Wei, Professor of Applied Linguistics, Birkbeck College, University of London, England.

'A comprehensive and incisive view of the field of language contact and language attitudes by one of the most distinguished scholars in this field. Edwards draws adroitly from social psychology and sociolinguistics to provide new insights into language contact and imperialism. The extended discussions of attitudes and identity are particularly profound and presented with clarity.' - Rajend Mesthrie, Professor of Linguistics, University of Cape Town, South Africa.