Discourse and Lifespan Identity

Book excerpt: "This book sculpts a new direction for sociolinguistics inasmuch as it incorporates lifespan studies. . . .into the realm of language and context. It makes us realize that our senses of "who we are" is a conglomerate of several different dimensions: temporal, social, linguistic." --Studies in Second Language Acquisition "The editors of this volume have successfully put together a group of articles which address the role of language in creating our developing self, by attempting to answer how our identity is achieved across the lifespan through the use of language in relationships. --Language in Society "The volume's strengths include clear illustration of the role of discourse in constituting self, especially with regard to aging; evidence overturning the hegemony of rigid 'life-stage/cycle' models for understanding lifespan development; and presentation of innovative methods for lifespan research. . . . The volume offers insightful contributions to discourse studies of the lifespan." --Discourse & Society "This is a fascinating book in the Sage Language and Language Behavior series. . . . Although it is written primarily for researchers and theoreticians in sociology and linguistics, there is application to child and adult development, gerontology, oral history, and even family systems theory. . . . This introduction to lifespan sociolinguistics is both clear and compelling." --Clinical Gerontologist How are social development, maturation, aging, stability, and change reflected in human interaction and in social contexts? How, where, and when does age surface as a theme in everyday talk? What social rituals endorse our accepted views of "coming of age," "turning forty," "entering retirement," or generally "acting our age"? What can language achieve for us? A multidisciplinary cast of contributors answers such questions through empirical studies and theoretical interpretations. Provocative and accessibly written, this volume explores discursive practices in which age-related identities are formulated, challenged, or consolidated. From mother-daughter relationships to marital communication, Discourse and Lifespan Identity takes a dynamic view of lifespan development in today's culture. Discourse and Lifespan Identity offers valuable information to students and professionals of interpersonal communication, speech communication, social psychology, developmental psychology, aging, and sociology.