Linguistic anthropology shares the field's general interest in diversity
in time and space. Linguistic anthropology examines language structure and use,
linguistic change, and relations among language, society, and culture. In the wild, nonhuman primates use limited call systems to communicate. The
call systems of our hominid ancestors eventually grew too complicated for genetic
transmission. They began to rely on learning and the call systems evolved into
language, our main system of communication. But humans also continue to use
nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions and gestures. No language
includes all the sounds the human vocal apparatus can make. Phonology, the study
of speech sounds, focuses on sounds that make a difference in a given language. Sociolinguistics investigates relationships between social and linguistic variation.
How do different kinds of people use language? Do men and women speak differently?
How about classes, professions, and ethnic groups? People vary their speech
on different occasions, shifting styles, dialects, even languages. Historical linguistics is useful for anthropologists interested in historical
relationships. Linguistic clues can suggest past contacts between cultures.
Relationships between languages don't necessarily mean there are biological
ties between their speakers, because people can learn new languages. The world navigable via computer is part of a global, high-tech communications
environment--access to which remains unequal both within and among nations.
New communicative and linguistic practices develop for different media, including
the Internet and cyberspace. | 
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education