The Psychology of Language, with Morten Christiansen and Nick Chater

This volume is a tribute to Donald C. Laycock, a renowned linguist and scholar. Edited by Tom Dutton, Malcolm Ross, and Darrell Tryon, it includes contributions from several scholars in the fields of linguistics, folklore, and cultural studies. The book reflects Laycock's diverse interests, including language learning, folklore, bawdry, and the history and sociology of games, magic, and the occult. It is part of the Pacific Linguistics series and was published by the Department of Linguistics at the Australian National University.

In this book, Steven Pinker argues that language is an innate human ability, produced by evolution to solve the problem of communication among social hunter-gatherers. He explains how language works, how children learn it, how it changes, and how the brain computes it. Pinker refutes common ideas such as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis and the notion that language is a human invention. He supports his argument with examples from linguistics, psychology, and popular culture, emphasizing that language is a specialized 'mental module' rather than a mark of advanced intelligence. The book also includes updates on advances in the science of language since its initial publication.

In 'Metaphors We Live By,' George Lakoff and Mark Johnson argue that metaphor is not just a figure of speech but a fundamental mechanism of the mind that allows us to use our physical and social experiences to understand more abstract concepts. The book introduces the concept of 'conceptual metaphors' and demonstrates how these metaphors structure our perceptions, thoughts, and actions. It challenges traditional views in Western philosophy and linguistics by showing that metaphor is pervasive in everyday language and thought, influencing how we think about concepts like love, arguments, and truth.