How we talk : the inner workings of conversation Cover Image

Book

How we talk : the inner workings of conversation / N. J. Enfield.

Enfield, N. J., 1966- (author.).

Summary:

"We all had teachers who scolded us over the use of um, uh-huh, oh, like, and mm-hmm. But as linguist N. J. Enfield reveals in How We Talk, these "bad words" are fundamental to language. Whether we are speaking with the clerk at the store, our boss, or our spouse, language is dependent on things as commonplace as a rising tone of voice, an apparently meaningless word, or a glance-signals so small that we hardly pay them any conscious attention. Nevertheless, they are the essence of how we speak. From the traffic signals of speech to the importance of um, How We Talk revolutionizes our understanding of conversation. In the process, Enfield reveals what makes language universally-and uniquely-human"-- Provided by publisher.

Record details

ISBN: 9780465059942
ISBN: 0465059945
Physical Description: ix, 257 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: New York : Basic Books, 2017.
Copyright: ©2017

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 213-243) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Introduction: What is language like? -- Conversation has rules -- Split-second thinking -- The one-second window -- Traffic signals -- The glue of relevance -- Repair -- The universal word: "Huh?" -- Conclusion: The capacity for language.