Language Files stands as the gold standard in introductory linguistics education, earning its reputation as one of the most widely adopted and consulted textbooks in the field. What makes this 13th edition truly exceptional is its unique organization into student-friendly, self-contained sections that give instructors remarkable flexibility in designing their courses while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
This latest version brings linguistics education firmly into the modern era with significant updates throughout. The morphology chapter now offers a more thorough discussion of allomorphy and includes entirely new sections on templatic morphology, suprasegmental morphology, and morphological metathesis. Students gain a more complete picture of all morphological phenomena, from the foundational to the cutting-edge.
The chapter on language and computers has been substantially updated with new sections on deep learning, artificial neural networks, and other areas of computational linguistics. This provides readers with a better sense of current research and applications in this rapidly developing field, preparing them for the intersection of linguistics and artificial intelligence.
Other notable additions include new sections on syntactic non-constituents and non-generative rule systems in the syntax chapter, plus a complete rewrite of the creole languages file in the language contact chapter. The text also adopts the use of the singular they when referring to a generic person whose gender is unknown or irrelevant, reflecting contemporary language practices.
Whether you're exploring linguistics for the first time or building on existing knowledge, Language Files provides the perfect balance of theoretical foundation and practical application. The updated exercises and reading lists throughout ensure you'll have the tools you need to succeed in your studies and develop a deep understanding of how language works.
