The author explains structure and then shows how it works in different language contexts - the literary, the non-literary, the spoken and the written. He explores a wide range of linguistic themes including sociolinguistics, language acquisition and register, and shows how our language can be interpreted.

In Making Sense, David Crystal confronts the foe of many: grammar. Once taught relentlessly to all students in the English-speaking world, grammar disappeared from most school curricula, so that terms such as "preposition" and "conjunction" now often confound children and adults alike. Explaining the nuts and bolts of grammar presents a special challenge, because - far more than is the case with spelling and punctuation - the subject is burdened with a centuries-old history of educational practice that many will recall as anything but glamorous. One of the world's foremost authorities on the English language, Crystal sets out to rid grammar of its undeserved reputation as a dry and intimidating subject, pointing out how essential grammar is to clear and effective speech and writing. He moves briskly through the stages by which children acquire grammar, along the way demystifying grammar's rules and irregularities and showing us how to navigate its snares and pitfalls. He offers the fascinating history of grammar, explaining how it has evolved from the first grammarians in ancient Greece to our 21st century digital environment of blogging, emailing, and texting. Many find grammar to be a daunting subject, but in this breezy, entertaining book, Crystal proves that grammar doesn't need to make us uneasy-we can all make sense of how we make sense.

Making Sense of Japanese Grammar explains in a lively and highly informative manner basic principles that underlie a wide range of phenomena in Japanese. Students--irrespective of proficiency level and linguistic training--will find clarification on matters of grammar that often seem idiosyncratic and Japanese-specific, such as avoiding the use of certain pronouns, employing the same word order for questions, hidden subjects, polite and direct forms. Organized for easy access and readability, Making Sense of Japanese Grammar consists of short units, each focused on explaining a distinct problem and illustrated with a wealth of examples. To further enhance their usefulness, the units are cross-referenced and contain brief comprehension exercises to test and apply newly acquired knowledge. A glossary and keys to the exercises are at the back of the book. This volume may be used as a supplementary classroom reading or a helpful reference for students of all levels. Both students and instructors, even those trained in linguistics, will find its accessible explanations of grammatical concepts helpful. Grounded in sound scholarship and extensive teaching experience, Making Sense of Japanese Grammar brings a fresh and liberating perspective to the study of Japanese.

Explains the multimodal connections of text, image, space, body, sound and speech, in both old and new computer-mediated communication systems.

In this book, David Crystal confronts the foe of many : grammar. Once taught relentlessly to all students in the English-speaking world, grammar disappeared from most school curricula, so terms such as "preposition" and "conjunction" now often confound children and adults alike. In this breezy, entertaining book, Crystal proves that grammar needn't make us uneasy--we can all make sense of how we make sense. -- Provided by publisher.

Making Sense of English is a textbook designed to help students and teachers of English learn about the English language, its sounds, words and grammar. It deals with all the major topics in the syllabuses of the courses on English language for BA and M.A. English and teacher development and training programmes. It introduces and describes with plenty of examples the important phonological, lexical and grammatical features of English to help the readers acquire an understanding of the structure and usage of English. The book has 24 chapters grouped into three parts, each ending with a chapter summary. The exercises help readers recap what they have learnt in the chapter and give them opportunities to apply it to actual instances of the use of English.