Fully revised and updated, this core textbook introduces students to the main principles of language analysis through real text examples. Focusing on texts from new technologies and corpus data, the book includes a supporting website. 'A most flexible book... an invaluable resource both for the quality and presentation of its source material and for the clarity and economy of its writing.' - Renee Stanton, The English and Media Magazine'[This] book, through which a range of insights are made eminently accessible, without condescention... give[s] the serious student not only a wide range of knowledge, but also a high degree of communicative competence.' - Jean-Pierre can Noppen, Linguistics and Poetics Journal "This is an excellent introductory textbook, ideal for beginner students of language studies since it works as an introduction, and is informative, challenging, engaging and entertaining." -- Vilelmini Sosoni, Linguist List