Language, Society and Power is an accessible introduction to studying language in a variety of social contexts. This book examines the ways language functions, how it influences the way we view society and how it varies according to age, ethnicity, class, and gender. It considers whether representations of people and their language matter, explores how identity is constructed and performed, and considers the creative potential of language in the media, politics and everyday talk. 

The fifth edition of this popular textbook features:

Language, Society and Power assumes no linguistic background among listeners, and is a must-listen for all students of English language and linguistics, media, communication, cultural studies, sociology, and psychology who are studying language and society for the first time.