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Linguistics reading list

Reading list for new students on the BA and MA Linguistics degree programmes

The textbooks below were used in previous years. There may be changes in 2024/25 but the books below would still be useful. 

Study Skills

One of the following:

  • Carey, Benedict: How we learn: The surprising truth about when, where, and why it happens.
  • Northedge, Andrew. The Good Study Guide. Open University.
  • Penn, Paul. The Psychology of Effective Studying: How to Succeed in your Degree. Routledge,  2020.
  • Willingham, Daniel. Outsmart your Brain: Why Learning is Hard and How you can make it Easy. Souvenir Press, 2023.

General background reading

  • Pinker, Steven. The Language Instinct
  • Fromkin, Rodman and Hyams: An introduction to language

BA Linguistics reading suggestions (provisional and subject to change)

PLIN0001 Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics A - no textbook

PLIN0061 Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology

    • Rogers, Henry (2000) The Sounds of Language: An Introduction to Phonetics

    PLIN0062 Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology B (in Term 2)

    • Hayes, B. (2008) Introductory Phonology

    PLIN0004 Introduction to Generative Grammar - the following free textbook is not mandatory but a good preparation and companion:

    PLIN0007 Core Issues in Linguistics - none

    PLIN0008 Introduction to Children’s Language Development

    • William O'Grady (2005): How children learn language. CUP

     

    MA Linguistics reading suggestions (provisional and subject to change)

    NB: Textbooks for the specialisations will be made available at the start of teaching.

    PLIN0048 Foundations of Linguistics

    • Smith, N. V. (2004). Chomsky: Ideas and Ideals. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press.

    PLIN0045 Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics

    • Grice, H.P. (1989) Studies in the Way of Words. Harvard University Press.
    • Sperber and Wilson, D. (1995, second edition) Relevance: Communication and Cognition
    • Zimmermann, T. and Sternefeld, W. (2013). Introduction to Semantics: An Essential Guide to the Composition of Meaning. De Gruyter.

    PLIN0084 Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology

    • Rogers, Henry (2000) The Sounds of Language: An Introduction to Phonetics

    PLIN0047 Syntax

    • Term 1: Haegeman, L. (2006) Thinking Syntactically.
    • Term 2: Haegeman, L. (1994).Introduction to Government and Binding Theory. Blackwell.

    MA Linguistics with specialisation in Pragmatics reading suggestions (provisional and subject to change)