‘a stimulating treat for everyone interested in language’ (Steven Pinker)__‘illuminating and extremely entertaining’ (Philip Hensher in The Mail on Sunday)__This updated edition of Language Play makes available online a book that was acclaimed for its innovative account of the neglected topic of language play or ‘ludic linguistics’, as it is sometimes called. __It explores a wide range of effects in both spoken and written language, such as puns, dialect humour, funny voices, in-jokes, invented words, crosswords, and the many language games that people like to play. It discusses why people devote so much time and energy to ludic language, and describes how many professionals - from comedians and copy-writers to poets and theologians make a career through their use of it.__The book has also been widely used by teachers, as its later chapters explore the way children learn to play with language and how reading materials can be enhanced, and children motivated, by introducing the dimension of language play. __NOTE: The e-book you purchase can be read on most eReaders. If you have a Kindle device you will need to select the Mobi file to download after you have paid for your e-book, but for any other device please download the normal ePub file.__For all US and Canada sales, see the University of Chicago Press edition: http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/L/bo3630646.html