An Introduction to Language Description:

An Introduction to Language review:
5 stars (Sweet, Sweet linguisitcs) - I find it odd that some people didn't like this book, for I thought the action thereof was exceedingly sweet. I guess different strokes for different folks. Anyway I took an Introductory linguistics course that used this textbook, and found myself enjoying the reading assignments. I even read chapters I wasn't assigned to and ended up reading the whole thing. The book was easy to follow, entertaining, and really taught me a lot about linguistics.
4 stars (Horses for courses) - If you're looking for a college-level textbook - look elsewhere! As the 1-star reviews make clear, this is not aimed at you, despite the upmarket cover...



On the other hand, if you're looking for a 'Linguistics for Dummies' book without the gaudy yellow-and-black cover to give you away, this book should do the trick nicely :) It's a pleasant stroll through the main areas of linguistics, livened up with cartoons - just enough to give you a taste of the subject without bogging you down in erudition. I don't know enough about linguistics to comment on the criticisms of some readers (though rejecting an entire field of study on the basis of one book seems a little...childish to me!), but any book that can turn a dry academic subject into an entertaining read gets my vote.
5 stars (It's an Introduction book) - As an introduction book this book is perfect; it's written in short chapters(will not make you feel bored) and it has exercises(helps you with understanding) in it. To those who are interested in Linguistics and do not have any prior knowledge this book is The One.