This wide-ranging book provides an invaluable guide to the very nature of language. By covering all major aspects of linguistics--semantics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and social variation--it gives a thorough grounding in the fundamental concepts of language and a practical analysis of its use. In addition, a study of short sample texts illustrates the principal characteristics of and differences between the languages of Western Europe, thus enabling the reader to understand linguistics in context. Concise summaries of the areas covered as well as a variety of text and topic-related exercises are included at the end of each chapter.