Living Language fulfills the promise of its title by revealing to students the excitement of language study, the constancy of language change, and the impact of language on our everyday lives. Sixty-one reading selections not only provide models and inspiration for writing, but also help students develop their critical reading skills, weigh and analyze data, enlarge their vocabularies, and understand the many ways that language enables humans to communicate with each other.

The organization of the book leads students from personal, subjective writing to more objective and academic writing. It treats current, popular topics, but always through the lens of language. In addition to readings of varied length, Living Language also includes visuals; up-to-date selections on the media, technology, and the Internet; and interesting details about language change. The text also acknowledges cultural differences among U.S. speakers. Each chapter contains two or more “Living Language” boxes, very brief summaries of news items or interesting language observations. Most of the selections are followed by “Words to Talk About,” and all are followed by comprehension and discussion questions. “Workshops” provide a starting point for in-class activities.