An entertaining and accessible guide for students taking an undergraduate course in discourse analysis or sociolinguistics. This is a book that will give students some useful 'hands-on' experience of discourse analysis and will point the way forward for readers who want to specialise in this area of study.

Preface Note for teachers Introduction 1. Mixing words and other things: A reason for conflict 2. Framing: How we talk differently about the same thing 3. Emotions: How words can influence our reasoning 4. Descriptions, inferences and evaluations: Different levels of abstraction and conflict 5. Euphemisms, dysphemisms, and political correctness: How we can get misdirected 6. Communicative competence: How we may misinterpret other people's linguistic behaviour 7. Meaning: How conflicts revolve around the definitions of words 8. Linguistics for peace education Conclusion: A trip to the Matsés Glossary References Index.

Janicki’s text covers a lot of areas of inquiry, from cognitive linguistics to political communication and from pragmatics to psychology and philosophy of language. The discussion is lucid, thought-provoking and reader-friendly. Anyone seeking to have a deep understanding of those extraordinary aspects of ordinary language would find this book inviting and revealing. Those new to the field of language studies will give the book a big thumbs up for its clear explanations of thick theories supported by numerous real-life examples.

Language and Conflict is a fascinating trip into the power of language in engendering or averting conflict and in promoting peace. Once again, Karol Janicki reveals his profound concern for a linguistics that is sensitive to social problems, one that offers a new perspective on how meaning creation can have broad-ranging social repercussions. Through various riveting examples, he illustrates how aspects of this process may be used in developing greater tolerance, open-mindedness and peaceful co-existence, starting with the very young. Written in a highly engaging and accessible style, it is undoubtedly an essential introductory text for students of linguistics and communication, but also an ideal read for anybody interested in language in use.' Maria Sifianou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece 'Choose your words wisely! If you don't you may unwittingly antagonize your interlocutor. Do words really make a difference? Karol Janicki thinks so, and he makes his case forcefully and with a wealth of pertinent examples.' Florian Coulmas, The German Institute for Japanese Studies, Japan 'Language and Conflict presents a fascinating exploration of the pleasures and pitfalls of language in everyday life. Karol Janicki offers a delightful tour of the ways words can create both harmony and conflict, yet he also outlines several ways for resolving disputes through linguistic means. The book contains many vivid examples, and Janicki's graceful analyses make this book a joy to read.' Raymond W Gibbs Jr, University of California Santa Cruz, USA 'An interesting and thought provoking polemic on the potential consequences of the unturned phrase, the careless word, or the contrived comment. If you have any doubts about the centrality of language in conflict then you should have a look at what Janicki has to say. Ranging across a range of professional and social contexts, with carefully chosen and relevant examples Janicki drives home the important role of language in both understanding and avoiding conflict. Professionals, academics, and students alike will all benefit from reading this book; and they will also find it enjoyable.' John Wilson, University of Ulster, UK 'Language and Conflict is an easy-to-read volume on a topic that is receiving much attention in several fields, such as discourse analysis and cross-cultural communication.' Lorena Hernandez Ramirez, New York University, USA