A wide-ranging introduction to language that explores questions about the nature of human language. The author introduces the reader to the study of language through chapters on grammar, sounds, writing and words, emphasizing these as systems within the overall system of language. Later chapters look at the stages through which children learn language and the theories that explain their rapid progress; what can go wrong with speech in childhood and maturity and how speakers of a language show their different origins and class. The text is illustrated with examples, mostly from everyday life, from sources such as political speeches and T-shirt slogans. Examples are taken from a variety of languages, in particular English, French, Japanese, German, Spanish and Korean.