Discussing Language (Writing and Reading)

Author: (USA) Roberts (Roberts, W.) et al., Introduction by Zhang Delu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-10-01
Features: These fifty-two articles can be divided into four categories: prose, poetry, speeches, and advertisements. Among them, prose accounts for the majority, totaling forty-eight pieces, some of which are close to essays, while others are more like essays and miscellany. Additionally, there are two poems, one advertisement (including three advertisements), and one speech (including two speeches). Although the articles collected in this book are not all academic papers, while telling the facts or stories about language, they reveal the profound connotations and characteristics of language, guiding students in writing from both emotional and rational perspectives. The language in this book is both humorous and thought-provoking, yet simple and easy to understand, avoiding the obscurity of academic language. At the same time, the book covers a wide range of topics, involving fields such as humans, society, culture, technology, and art. It provides a rich collection of language materials, making it not only an excellent guide for foreign language writing but also a superb read for language knowledge. The first three chapters focus on the characteristics of language itself, including its meaning, function, sociocultural implications, emotional features, and the historical, cultural, emotional, and formal connotations of language, as well as its appropriateness for speakers and social contexts. When reading these chapters, pay attention to perceiving the implications of language itself in terms of its history, culture, emotions, degree of formality, and appropriateness for speakers and social contexts.