Vivian Cook was Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics at Newcastle University, UK. He was known for his work on second language acquisition, particularly for the concept of multi-competence, and wrote technical textbooks and popular books on areas of linguistics ranging from intonation to first language acquisition to spelling.

• PrefaceChapter 1. Describing Street Signs  Chapter 2. The Writing System of the Street  Chapter 3. The Language System of the Street  Chapter 4. The Material of the Street Sign  Chapter 5. Naming the Street  Chapter 6. Controlling Signs  Chapter 7. Connotations of Letter Forms in Street Signs  Chapter 8. Street Signs in Other Languages   Chapter 9. The Nature of Street Signs  ReferencesIndex

‘Fifth Avenue’ – what could be more tedious! Other than Manhattan and Kyoto where streets are just numbered, notable cities use street names. And they know why, as did Vivian Cook. Street signs are a treasure trove of linguistic, societal, historical, political and commercial knowledge. In this book he takes us on a multidisciplinary adventure trip to decode the wonders of written signs in public places. Trust the guide!