Key Concepts in Language and Linguistics is an A-Z guide to the main terms and concepts used in the study of language and linguistics. The book includes definitions of terms used in grammatical analysis from phoneme to componential analysis; branches of linguistics from semantics to neurolinguistics; approaches used in studying language from discourse analysis to systemic linguistics; linguistic phenomena from code-switching to conversational implicature; and language varieties from pidgin to standard language. Each entry begins with a brief definition of the term followed by a more detailed description. Entries trace the origin of the concept, mention the key associated individuals, provide a guide to further reading and are extensively cross- referenced.