In this new edition of the bestselling classic textbook, Martin Montgomery explores the key connections between language and social life. Guiding the student through discussions on child language, accent and dialect, social class and gender, as well as a number of other topics, Montgomery provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the function of language in modern society. This new edition includes: new sections on dialect leveling and estuary English; hip-hop and rapping as anti-language and 'crossing' between Creole, Panjabi and South Asian English; new material on the Gulf War and the 'War on Terror'; discussions on language in internet usage and new technologies; and, updated examples and references. With detailed suggestions for further reading and practical work for each chapter, ''An Introduction to Language and Society'' is the ideal resource for students and teachers of Communication Studies and Language Studies.