Languages and Worldview

Reviewed by Sharon Methvin, Instructor, Mt. Hood Community College on 7/7/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Text includes cross-cultural examples and verbal as well as nonverbal communication.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Sources are well documented and content is backed by credible anthropological sources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This is the gem of the text. most Linguistic Anthropology texts are dry and not very useful for undergraduates. It is difficult to find a Linguistic Anthropology text that is meaningful, understandable, and interesting to undergraduate students, but this text has nailed it! .

Clarity rating: 5

Keeps the readers interest with day to day examples that students can relate to. Also, incorporates support from videos for our students now living in a visually stimulating environment.

Consistency rating: 5

One issue with some OER resources is the lack of consistency due to multiple authors. This text is consistent in style and content.

Modularity rating: 5

Easily broken into bite size modules and perfect for a quarter term.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I love the cross-cultural approach that ties each module into our discipline.

Interface rating: 4

Videos play easily. I would like to have seen more references to online websites and a greater use of graphs and images.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any errors that popped out for me.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This is a gem on incorporating a cross-cultural approach in a respectful manner.

Comments

It is difficult to find a Linguistic Anthropology text that is meaningful, understandable, and interesting to undergraduate students, but this text has nailed it! It is readable and practical, incorporating relevant cross-cultural examples and a discussion on non-human communication. A stellar discussion on nonverbal and digital forms of communication, along with video snippets to enhance student learning in today’s visually stimulated environment, rounds out an adoptable OER resource for undergraduate students.

Reviewed by Olubukola Salako, Professorial Lecturer, American University on 1/31/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is a gem for those who are not well versed in the field of linguistic. It uses terminology that is understandable and easy to follow. It is organized in a manner that allows the reader to relate to the examples mentioned in the book. Definitions are clear and concise. It makes use of videos, which is an asset for the reader.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Examples are given from previous studies, which substantiates the points made in the book. Additionally, examples are supported with videos. This gives the reader a better sense of comprehension that is not always clear by wordy definitions.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The contents in the book are currently relevant to this time frame. It makes use of common trends popular with language use in this era. The book also connects videos by a simple click. However, a problem may arise five years from now when new technologies are developed and the links to the videos are no longer available. Overall, using videos in a textbook is very creative and makes learning about languages enjoyable.

Clarity rating: 5

One major advantage about this book is the concise, simple, and organized definitions. One is able to read without any major difficulties. The language is simple and relatable for a novice learning about language, linguistics, and communication. The book is not complex and thus makes reading it easy to finish.

Consistency rating: 5

Throughout the book, there is considerable amount of consistency in how the book is arranged. The questions are posed at the end of each unit to help the reader retain knowledge about the points discussed in each section. The videos are also placed properly after definitions are discussed. The format is consistent with the design of the book.

Modularity rating: 5

A strong suit for this book is its organization. The reader can skip around and focus on one unit and return to another unit for clarification. The units allow the reader to focus his or her attention on particular parts for an in-depth study. This is especially useful for the reader if he or she wants to focus his or her attention on different units without reading the whole book.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is organized creatively. The organization of the book with videos makes the reading of the text interesting. The reader will not be bored reading this book. This book will work well for readers who are technology savvy and love the world of eBooks.

Interface rating: 5

The interface for this book is fascinating. It has videos, graphs, bolded definitions, and pictures. Although the topic can be quite difficult to understand in traditional books, in this case, this book is well organized in a way that makes reading it easy.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text contains no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

In essence, the book explains and makes use of examples of cultural themes, motifs, and languages that influence the field of linguistics, communication, and language study. There are examples for the reader to use as a point of reference. This book will be a great asset for anyone who is interested in language learning.

Comments

I enjoyed reading this book. I especially enjoyed watching the videos in each unit of the book. This format is creative and innovative.