"Bolinger has undertaken to integrate the themes of four decades' work into a coherent, consistent whole... Its major states purpose is to give non-linguists a serious introduction to how intonation works in English this, writes Bolinger in his preface, 'is too important a subject to e left just to linguists.' In keeping with this goal, the book is written in a readable, non-technical style-though one would have expected pleasing prose from Bolinger in any case... The widespread acceptance of certain of Bolinger's views has meant that they have in some way been taken from a larger context that he would like us not to lose sight of. Intonation and Its Parts is a clear and comprehensive statement of that overall theoretical vision." -D. Robert Ladd ,Language "The major book on intonation, by the doyen of the subject." The Year's Work in English Studies "Bolinger's constructive criticism of pretty well every major theory of intonation since the Second World War has helped immeasurably in the subject's progress. Now at last he has put all his ideas about intonation into a book... The book is written in a very accessible style, and has thousands of well-chosen examples of intonational form and function." -David Crystal ,The Times Literary Supplement