ABSTRACT
Thisbookisaboutlanguageandpower,ormorepreciselyaboutconnectionsbetweenlanguageuseandunequalrelationsofpower,particularlyin modernBritain.Ihavewrittenitfortwomainpurposes.Thefirstismore theoretical:tohelpcorrectawidespreadunderestimationofthesignificance oflanguageintheproduction,maintenance,andchangeofsocialrelations ofpower.Thesecondismorepractical:tohelpincreaseconsciousnessof howlanguagecontributestothedominationofsomepeoplebyothers, becauseconsciousnessisthefirststeptowardsemancipation.
