"Written by two international experts, the second edition of this accessible book offers an engaging route into all aspects of the study of the English language. The topic coverage is wonderfully comprehensive, ranging from accents, world Englishes, and style, to literacy, language attitudes, and guidance on how to collect linguistic data. This up-dated edition is greatly enhanced by a new companion website with a range of additional material that will appeal to students and teachers alike. I am confident it will become an indispensable text for English Language courses internationally."Janet Holmes, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand