null
Loading…
Skip to main content Skip to buy box

Holiday gifts by Fri, Dec 18? Order by Thu, Dec 3. Plan gifts

Free shipping on most orders over $95 in the contiguous US

Specialists Mon–Fri, 8:30 am–5 pm PTSpecialists Mon–Fri, 8:30–5 PT866-522-6657

Pre-order Releases Nov 17, 2026

Paperback

Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology

by Laura M. Ahearn and Catherine R. Rhodes

$46.99 / copy at 25+ copies As low as $46.01 at 100+Your best volume price

560 pages Wiley ISBN 9781394299416
Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology book cover by Laura M. Ahearn, Catherine R. Rhodes
Ships on release · Nov 17 Releases Tuesday, November 17, 2026. Pre-order now: your copies ship on release and usually arrive around the release date.

Volume pricing Applied automatically in your cart

About the book

Living Language

The fourth edition of Living Language is fully updated with new perspectives on gender and language revitalization.

Now in its Fourth Edition, Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology continues to ground students in how language both shapes and is shaped by social contexts, cultural meanings, and power dynamics. Fully updated throughout, this fourth edition covers both theory and real-world interaction, frontloading with a robust conceptual framework and equipping readers to interpret the chapters that follow.

New to this edition are discussions of AI in relation to literacy, updated coverage of transgender language research and pronouns, and a perspectival shift from language endangerment to language shift grounded in Native and Indigenous linguistic anthropologists’ perspectives. The text now explicitly addresses scale as a concept and highlights differences between Internet and cellular-based communication.

This insightful and indispensable book offers:

  • Sign language scholarship integrated throughout the entire text rather than confined to a single chapter, reflecting current disciplinary approaches
  • Cartoons, data tables, and relatable examples of actual language use illustrating linguistic anthropology's relevance in a globalized world
  • A unified theoretical framework rooted in social theory covering language ideologies, multifunctionality, practice, and indexicality across chapters
  • An accessible yet rigorous presentation that treats language as a non-neutral form of social action without oversimplifying core concepts
  • A new appendix providing examples of classroom activities that can help instructors teach and students explore the key concepts of the book.

Living Language is ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in linguistic anthropology, language and culture, and language and society, as well as related courses in sociolinguistics, sociology, education, and communication. Its accessible yet theoretically grounded approach enables students to analyze language as social action across diverse cultural contexts.

The book, Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology [Bulk, Wholesale, Quantity] ISBN#9781394299416 in Paperback by Laura M. Ahearn, Catherine R. Rhodes may be ordered in bulk quantities. Minimum starts at 25 copies. Availability based on publisher status and quantity being ordered.

Details

Publisher
Wiley
Authors
Laura M. Ahearn, Catherine R. Rhodes
Format
Paperback
Release date
Nov 17, 2026
ISBN-13
9781394299416
Pages
560
Carton quantity
21 copies

Who it's for

Made for classrooms and campuses

Pre-order copies for everyone on your list, and they ship on release.

  • Course adoption A copy for every student in the class or section. Get a quote
  • Faculty and staff studies Shared reading for professional development. Get a quote
  • Orientation and common reads First-year programs and campus events. Get a quote
  • Libraries Copies for every branch, on one order. Get a quote

Before release day

Need them before Nov 17?

Books ship on release and usually arrive around the release date. Early delivery is common, and we arrange it often. It needs the publisher’s OK, so tell us why you need them early and we’ll make the request for you.

  1. Tell us the date and the reasonA class unit, an event, a program launch: one line is enough.
  2. We ask the publisherWe make the request on your behalf. It’s a routine part of what we do.
  3. We confirm with youYour specialist confirms the date by email before anything ships.

Your order panel turns into the quote request with this date filled in. It asks the reason, so we can make the request. We’ll ask the publisher and confirm.

Buying for a group

Living Language for groups: pricing

Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart. No codes, no account needed.

CopiesPrice per copyYou save
25 – 49 $46.99 4% off list
50 – 99 $46.50 5% off list
100+ $46.01 6% off list
What does Living Language cost when I buy for a group?

Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart, with no code needed. Price per copy: 25 to 49 copies, $46.99 (4% off list); 50 to 99 copies, $46.50 (5% off list); 100+ copies, $46.01 (6% off list). Need a different quantity, or a quote to forward for approval? Ask a specialist and we will confirm pricing before you pay.

How fast can I get copies of Living Language?

This title is not released yet. Pre-orders ship when it is, currently scheduled for November 17, 2026. Need them by a specific date? Request a quote and we'll confirm timing before you pay.

Can you ship to several locations or people's homes?

Yes. We ship group orders to one address, to multiple sites, or to individual recipients, in the US and internationally. See fulfillment options.

Can I get a formal quote for approval before ordering?

Yes. Request a quote and we'll send a PDF you can forward for approval.

Do you accept purchase orders and tax-exempt orders?

Yes. We accept purchase orders upon approval, as well as cards, PayPal, ACH, wire transfers and checks. BookPal is a tax-exempt supplier in all 50 states. See purchase orders and sales tax exemption.

What if I find a lower price?

Send us the link. We match prices from other booksellers and distributors on a new copy in the same edition, available to ship in the quantity you need. Clearance sales and pricing errors are the exception, and we'll tell you quickly if that's the case. Start a price match.

Send for approval

Get a yes from your approver

Living Language: An Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology
Email it to my approver

Your approver gets a link to this page with the quantity set and an "Approve and order" button. Nothing is sent until you press send in your email app.

Log In
Review Your Cart
Your cart is empty Your cart is empty Your cart is empty

Menu

Recently Viewed Recently Viewed
Back to top Back to top