"Linguistics has long been in need of a collection that summarizes the nature of the field and its various aspects - something at once accessible enough to recommend to non-linguists and substantive enough to give real answers to their questions. Aronoff and Rees-Miller have given us just that, and a number of the surveys they have included will be informative even for specialists. This book should do a major service for the relations between linguists and their colleagues, and among various flavors of linguist as well." Stephen R. Anderson, Yale University "The Blackwell Handbook is a considerable achievement. It addresses general readers, students of linguistics and specialists in linguistic sub-disciplines. It shows both the fluidity of the subject ... and also the large and growing areas of common interest and importance. Students of literature, psychology and philosophy could read many of these chapters with great profit, and it is to be hoped that there will be frequent updatings and further editions as research and understanding advance." Jonathan Katz, Times Literary Supplement "How do Aronoff and Rees-Miller approach the task of enlightenment (or perhaps even proselytization)? Successfully, in my opinion, through a judicious combination of reports on theoretical and applied domains, of items of general and more specialized interest, of traditional and newly-relevant sub-areas, and through a selection of highly competent experts with excellent comunicative skills... If given the broad exposure it deserves, this volume will clearly satisfy its announced goal of permitting the insertion of linguistics topics into educated public discourse. As a result, the editors and authors are to be congratulated for extending this service to the discipline and to the public in general." Canadian Journal of Linguistics