Language And Communication: A Crosscultural Encyclopedia,Used

From School Library Journal Grade 9 UpAn accessible, intercultural examination of verbal and nonverbal communication. The alphabetically arranged entries are well documented and crossreferenced. The text itself, while a little dry, is highly informative and unfamiliar terms are defined in context. Captioned blackandwhite photographs are sprinkled throughout; short bibliographies are supplied at the end of many of the entries. The author presents a crosscultural perspective on theories of language and communication, making his work unique. The encyclopedia will also be helpful for readers needing concise definitions of terms in the field of communications.J. B. MacDonald, Milner Library, Illinois State University, Normal, ILCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. Product Description An examination of verbal and nonverbal communication presents crosscultural prespectives on theories of language and includes definitions of terms in the field of communications From Library Journal This latest installment in the 'Encyclopedias of Human Experience' series includes 151 entries pertaining to the study of 'language and communication from a crosscultural perspective.' Findlay, a cultural anthropologist, aims to avoid European ethnocentrism by showing how Western and nonWestern traditions influence one another. Of the 126 cultures from five continents cited in this encyclopedia, only one is European: British Cockneyspeakers. Throughout, Findlay focuses on 'communicative competence,' the cultural and social rules an individual must know in order to use a language. Each entry is written with great clarity and followed by bibliographic information and cross references. An especially helpful feature is the author's practice of defining technical terms within parentheses following the terms themselves; another is the excellent bibliography. Both the geographical range and the richness of the subject matter are to be applauded. While one might have wished for an explanation of how the cultures discussed were selected, this encyclopedia is a laudable accomplishment and belongs in high school, college, and public libraries.?Joan W. Gartland, Detroit P.L.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist The purpose of this volume in ABCCLIO's Encyclopedias of the Human Experience series is to explore Western and nonWestern traditions and sociocultural language conventions in an effort to deemphasize the IndoEuropean approach often used in the past. Findlay, a social scientist, defines 151 terms from an anthropological, ethnographic, and sociolinguistic point of view. Entries range from one or two paragraphs to several pages depending upon the topic. Discourse analysis and gender differences, for example, are among the longest. The author presents complex concepts in crosscultural communication in thoughtful, clear terms.Some entries feature brief bibliographies. There is a lengthy bibliography in an appendix. Crossreferencing is adequate, and there are simple linedrawn maps in the front matter showing location of language groups mentioned in the text. The index leads the reader to individual ethnic groups (Apache, Hmong, Yanomamo), to individuals (Chomsky, Noam), and to topics (Black English, ethnographic methods, etc.)This is a compact volume that is easily held in the hand for quick referral and is a reliable source of information. It complements, but does not replace, David Crystal's Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language (2d ed., Cambridge, 1997), which is still the leader in the field of linguistics for the lay reader. Rather than using the alphabetical arrangement of Findlay's book, Crystal's work is divided into 11 thematic sections, allowing the author to explore topics more fully. One of these sections deals with language and communication. Another, which deals in depth with the origin of language, includes the following theories: Bowwow,Poohpooh, Dingdong, Yoheho, and