Get Your Free Audiobook
Language and Society: What Your Speech Says About You
People who bought this also bought...
-
Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making
- By: Randall Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Randall Bartlett
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 46
Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
life changing course
- By Alison on 26-06-2017
-
Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- By: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 238
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 232
No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
excellent
- By George Broadfoot on 18-01-2015
-
Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 56
Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A wonderful series.
- By Amazon Customer on 16-08-2017
-
Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- By: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 83
Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen, highly recommended to anyone
- By Jon on 17-02-2016
-
The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 17
For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people.Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Insightful
- By Amazon Customer on 21-05-2015
-
The Theory of Evolution: A History of Controversy
- By: Edward J. Larson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Edward J. Larson
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2
Charles Darwin's theory of organic evolution-the idea that life on earth is the product of purely natural causes, not the hand of God-set off shock waves that continue to reverberate through Western society, and especially the United States. What makes evolution such a profoundly provocative concept, so convincing to most scientists, yet so socially and politically divisive? These 12 eye-opening lectures are an examination of the varied elements that so often make this science the object of strong sentiments and heated debate.
-
Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making
- By: Randall Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Randall Bartlett
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 46
Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
life changing course
- By Alison on 26-06-2017
-
Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- By: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 238
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 232
No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
excellent
- By George Broadfoot on 18-01-2015
-
Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 66
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 56
Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A wonderful series.
- By Amazon Customer on 16-08-2017
-
Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- By: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 83
Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great listen, highly recommended to anyone
- By Jon on 17-02-2016
-
The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 17
For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people.Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Insightful
- By Amazon Customer on 21-05-2015
-
The Theory of Evolution: A History of Controversy
- By: Edward J. Larson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Edward J. Larson
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2
Charles Darwin's theory of organic evolution-the idea that life on earth is the product of purely natural causes, not the hand of God-set off shock waves that continue to reverberate through Western society, and especially the United States. What makes evolution such a profoundly provocative concept, so convincing to most scientists, yet so socially and politically divisive? These 12 eye-opening lectures are an examination of the varied elements that so often make this science the object of strong sentiments and heated debate.
-
The Science of Energy
- Resources and Power Explained
- By: Michael E. Wysession, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael E. Wysession
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
To better put into perspective the various issues surrounding energy in the 21st century, you need to understand the essential science behind how energy works. And you need a reliable source whose focus is on giving you the facts you need to form your own educated opinions.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Immediatey relevant!
- By Robert Watkinson on 11-06-2017
-
The Dead Sea Scrolls
- By: Gary A. Rendsburg, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary A. Rendsburg
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
Whether complete or only fragmentary, the 930 extant Dead Sea Scrolls irrevocably altered how we look at and understand the foundations of faith and religious practice. Now you can get a comprehensive introduction to this unique series of archaeological documents, and to scholars' evolving understanding of their authorship and significance, with these 24 lectures. Learn what the scrolls are, what they contain, and how the insights they offered into religious and ancient history came into focus.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Brilliant!
- By Paul F. Herring on 03-03-2014
-
The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis
- By: Louis Markos, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Louis Markos
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
What can we still learn from C.S. Lewis? Find out in these 12 insightful lectures that cover the author's spiritual autobiography, novels, and his scholarly writings that reflect on pain and grief, love and friendship, prophecy and miracles, and education and mythology.
-
No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
- By: Robert C. Solomon, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert C. Solomon
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 44
What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding
- By Mitchell on 20-02-2017
-
The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 26
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
History for the Non-Historian
- By Amazon Customer on 22-01-2014
-
History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 40
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 37
Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great book
- By Michael on 20-11-2018
Publisher's Summary
Language is not a passive means of communication. In fact, it's the active process through which we construct societies, and, within them, our own social lives and realities. Language - as we use it in our day-to-day interactions - fundamentally shapes our experience, our thinking, our perceptions, and the very social systems within which our lives unfold.
Nowhere is the social role of language revealed more clearly than in the fascinating field of sociolinguistics. Among many eye-opening perspectives, the work of sociolinguistics points out that:
- Language is strong social capital, and our linguistic choices carry both costs and benefits we rarely consider.
- Our identity is strongly tied to the speech we use and our perceptions of the speech we hear.
- Our children are raised, our relationships are made, and our careers succeed, in large part, through how we use language.
- Language embodies a worldview: Your linguistic system reflects and affects the way you organize and understand the world around you.
In these 24 thought-provoking lectures, you'll investigate how social differences based on factors such as region, class, ethnicity, occupation, gender, and age are inseparable from language differences. Further, you'll explore how these linguistic differences arise, and how they both reflect and generate our social systems. You'll look at the remarkable ways in which our society is a reflection of our language, how differences in the way people use language create differences in society, how people construct and define social contexts by their language use, and ultimately why our speech reveals so much about us. Join a brilliantly insightful sociolinguist and teacher in a compelling inquiry that sheds light on how our linguistic choices play a determining role in every aspect of our lives.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
-
3.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars0
-
4 Stars3
-
3 Stars2
-
2 Stars1
-
1 Stars0
Performance
-
2.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars0
-
4 Stars1
-
3 Stars1
-
2 Stars1
-
1 Stars1
Story
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars1
-
4 Stars3
-
3 Stars0
-
2 Stars0
-
1 Stars0
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Greg
- 17-06-2018
Terrible, terrible humour which ruins it.
Unlike others reviewing Fridland's lecture I think her knowledge and how she imparts her subject matter is pretty good. But I'm sorry Valerie, your jokes are not funny. One or two here and there might be cute but there's a corny awkward distraction every few minutes. I have most of the Great Courses on linguistics and language and I re-listen to them (except Anne Curzan for similar reasons) with some regularity. I thought I'd give Fridland another go after a year of abstaining but soon into the lecture I was squirming and remembered why I don't listen to it. However, when she stays on track I think she's good. I would buy another title from her if it was guaranteed to be joke free. They are that bad.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- R.B.
- 08-04-2015
Like nails on a chalkboard
Would you try another book from The Great Courses and/or Professor Valerie Fridland?
Yes but not if Mrs Fridland narrates it. One of the other reviewers pointed out how annoying her voice is and I have to agree. It's shrill, weirdly chipper,and just not comfortable to listen to for more than a few minutes.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Language and Society: What Your Speech Says About You?
I zoned out a lot during this audio book, something that very rarely happens. Mrs Fridland just didn't keep me interested all that long. The few points I do remember were interesting though.
What didn’t you like about Professor Valerie Fridland’s performance?
She has a high pitched voice, too shrill. Not pleasant.
Was Language and Society: What Your Speech Says About You worth the listening time?
I didn't retain a lot of the concepts. This might be a lecture better ingested from a written source material.
Any additional comments?
The content is interesting but I just couldn't finish it. Mrs Fridland's voice and fact that visualizing language-based concepts is hard make this for a fairly tough audio book to get through.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Noah Lugeons
- 08-06-2016
Worst Great Courses I've Heard
Painful attempts at humor, sudden yelling, and a subtitle so inaacurate I'd call it deceptive.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Jerusha Nelson
- 03-10-2015
Incredibly frustrating narrator
This book was maddening. For a linguist and professional speaker, the narrator sure struggled with the English language. She was constantly stumbling on her words and laughing at her terrible jokes. I couldn't force myself to finish it.
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- M. S. Cohen
- 12-01-2015
Nothing like the other Great Courses
At the beginning of this book, Professor Fridland asks us to listen to her voice and then imagine what she is. Old, young? Where is she from? Educated or not?
From her speech, I got a 22 year old California sufer gal (for sure) with litter interests beyond shopping.
Turns out she's older and from the south. But I got none of that.
This book was a terrible disappointment. Not only does the professor sound like a college student, she put together a terrible course.
Over and over she would say something like "And there are many words that these people use in ways no other society does." This screams for a "for instance" or example. But she gave them so seldom you would think they came out of her salary to insert.
I wish I could return this book, but I fear I've kept it too long. (I kept trying to get through it, but couldn't get more than 15% of the way through.
The idea of an audio book on language and dialects is a great idea that goes way beyond what print can do. Unfortunately, this book doesn't rise to the concept.
28 of 33 people found this review helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tyler
- 02-07-2015
A lot of knowledge packed into this class.
First of all I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this in a previous review but I'm quite excited about the fact Audible is offering these Great Courses selections.
Anyway, the narrator is OK here, but the real gem is the content itself. If you are, were, or are someday considering studying English literature I strongly recommend this course!
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- beotherworldly
- 16-11-2016
Lots of asides
I love language and linguistics and this lecture is great if you want more information on how language functions in society. The main drawback for me was the high number of corny jokes and asides the author makes. They add a nice touch of casualness if you like that kind of thing in a lecture, but I wasn't particularly impressed by them. (and there's a lot of jokes and asides)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- OK Tamease
- 04-07-2016
Dull- does not hold my attention.
Would you try another book from The Great Courses and/or Professor Valerie Fridland?
Yes, I would buy another book from the Great Courses, but not Professor Firdland.
What was most disappointing about The Great Courses’s story?
The course is boring.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Yes.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointment. I love the topic, but could not handle the narration. .
Any additional comments?
I will return the course.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sundogs3
- 11-01-2015
Very interesting
I really enjoyed these lectures. I have always been interested in accents and dialects and this lecture series was perfect and comprehensive.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Marco Antonio Lara
- 11-11-2015
Sad Clown
This poor uncharismatic women comes across as a squawkingly brainless air-head with her vapid, annoying American housewife voice and superficial, disqualifying nonsense of humor. No matter how solid her scholarly authority is (and to me it is only satisfactory, on a high school level), she undermines any academic legitimacy or popular appeal with butterfly frivolity, incoherence and stupid, insecure attempts at being cute. The first eight lessons are enough to stifle anyone's interest (there is some improvement after), she repeats herself, including painful jokes, and presents examples and illustration with clumsy ineptness. There should be more and better spoken clips, and they need more vivid analysis. Though she is qualified in her field, she murders the subject. Slow down, don't try to be funny, stop giggling, and go into greater depth in at least a few aspects of sociolinguistics.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Katydid
- 27-03-2018
disappointed
Would you try another book from The Great Courses and/or Professor Valerie Fridland?
Never. Stupid jokes, jarring nasal female delivery. A horrible listen (and I did the whole thing).
If you’ve listened to books by The Great Courses before, how does this one compare?
Poorly. McWhorter is 100 times better at language. And he doesn't sound like he's trying to make you like him. Fridland's ridiculous forays into what she thought of as humor were downright annoying.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Professor Valerie Fridland?
Anyone with a voice that doesn't screech and mimic poorly. (And this from a language expert!!) And certainly I would have cast someone who did not see the need to include all those silly personal diversions about her hair, her children, and being a teenage nerd.
Any additional comments?
One of the few Great Courses I have actively disliked. Too bad, as I love the subject. Some of Fridland's treatment of the material was OK, but the delivery was so terrible that it took me about six months to get through it. Usually, I can knock out 24 lectures in under a month.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- lorraine
- 11-05-2015
Narration far too fast
Narration was far too fast to hear clearly and without pauses, therefore no time to consider what had been discussed.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- DAVID
- 18-03-2018
Lecturer's delivery is absolutely awful
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
A lecturer who did not do the following: make silly, immature jokes as asides during presentation, speak too rapidly, trip over their words, and inexplicably suddenly raise the volume of delivery
Would you ever listen to anything by The Great Courses again?
Absolutely - I'm delighted to have found the Great Courses. This has been my first experience of a course being completely ruined by the style of delivery
Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Professor Valerie Fridland?
Professor Gary K. Wolfe, who narrates 'How Great Science Fiction Works' has the perfect style of delivery
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Anger, annoyance, frustration
Any additional comments?
I was really surprised at how this series made it into the Great Courses.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Joshua Smart
- 03-01-2018
Interesting topic, but terrible lecturer
Is there anything you would change about this book?
The lecturer, full stop.
Would you ever listen to anything by The Great Courses again?
Definitely.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Constant rapid fire presentation that's too hard to follow, annoying tone, and cringe worthily unfunny jokes being made constantly. I nearly stopped listening numerous times.
Any additional comments?
Some acknowledgement of how autistic folks struggle with social subtext wouldn't have gone amiss.