This text is concerned with how and why language is used and how its use varies in different cultures. This introduction presents the essential terms and concepts introduced and developed by Dell Hymes and others, and surveys the most important findings and applications of their work.[...]

Written for students encountering the topic for the first time, this is a clear and practical introduction to second language acquisition (SLA). Using non-technical language, it explains how a second language is acquired; what the learner of a second language needs to know; and why some learners are[...]