Psycholinguistics

A Very Short Introduction

Fernanda Ferreira, PhD (Department of Psychology, University of California)

$18.95

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Oxford University Press
12 December 2024

Philosophy of language; Psycholinguistics; Psychology

Series: Very Short Introductions

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringThis Very Short Introduction to psycholinguistics is an accessible and engaging description of how people use language. Talking and understanding language probably seem like simple and straightforward skills, but research in psycholinguistics has shown that complex computations take place behind the scenes when you communicate with others. Recent debates concerning how AI tools such as ChatGPT work highlight some of these core questions about the language faculty and how it is that humans comprehend, produce, and learn language. The book begins with an overview of the fields of linguistics and psychology and how they have cooperated from the earliest days of psycholinguistics. It then considers how words and sentences are interpreted, how they are generated, and how human conversation is coordinated. The book also reviews research on reading, sign language processing, and bilingualism. The closing chapter summarizes where the field is heading, with a brief discussion of Large Language Models, the role of Information Theory, the growing emphasis on the neurobiology of language, and the increasing diversity of research in psycholinguistics, both with respect to the languages studied and the backgrounds and histories of language researchers. Issues that are considered include: (1) How successfully do people adapt what they say to the needs of their audience when they design their phrases and sentences? (2) How do people read languages such as Chinese, which do not use an alphabetic writing system? (3) Do the size and efficiency of a person's memory affect how effectively people use language? (4) Is bilingualism cognitively advantageous, and if so, what are the mechanisms that lead to this so-called bilingual advantage? And (5) Do users of sign language gesture when they communicate? These questions and more are answered using insights from the latest research based on methods from the cognitive and neurosciences. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

By: Fernanda Ferreira PhD (Department of Psychology University of California)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 175mm, Width: 110mm, Spine: 10mm
Weight: 136g
ISBN: 9780192886774
ISBN 10: 0192886770
Series: Very Short Introductions
Pages: 160
Publication Date: 12 December 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Fernanda Ferreira is Professor of Psychology and a member of the Graduate Program in Linguistics at the University of California, Davis. She was formerly Chair of Language and Cognition at the University of Edinburgh. She is founder and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Glossa Psycholinguistics, and has previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. She co-edited with John Henderson the academic text The Interface of Language, Vision, and Action: Eye Movements and the Visual World (2004).

Reviews for Psycholinguistics: A Very Short Introduction

A very short introduction consists of nine chapters, of which the final one is an outlook chapter, followed by a subject index and a list of references and further reading. The book is intended to be an accessible and short, yet insightful and critical, introduction to psycholinguistics as a discipline. This goal is well achieved. * Victoria Beatrix Fendel, Linguist List *