语言可以从内部或外部加以研究，也就是可以从生物体内部或从生物体之间的不同视角进行研究。从外部、从生物体之间考察语言的视角实际上就是语言的功能观。本书从社会的角度考察语言，揭示语言的本质属性，探讨语言的功能，阐明语言在社会人生活中的地位。本书内容丰富，就不同的主题论述了社会语言学或语言社会学的理论，包括语言研究的社会视角、语义潜势、语言与社会人、语言发展、编码取向、语言变异与语言品种等。
　　语码与语域及社会文言不一样，它不是语言品种。语码是说话人选择语义和听话人解释语义的符号组织的原则。功能语言理论认为语码是语域的决定因素，对在情景类型中选择主义起作用。
作者简介：
　　Professor M.A.K.Halliay(b.1925)was Foundation Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney until his retirement and has taught as a Visiting Professor around the world.As a self-styled'generalist'hehas published in many branches of linguistics.

Preface
Acknowledgements
PART ONE USERS AND USES
　Edifor’s Introduction
　　1 The Users and Uses of Language(1964)
PART TWo SoCIOLINGUISTIC TH]E}oRY
　Editor’S Introduction
　　2 Language in a SociM Perspective(1971)
　　3 Language and Social Man(1974)
　　4 Sociological Aspects of Semandc Change(1975)
　　5 Language as Social Semiotic：Towards a General Sociolinguistic Theory(1975)
　　6 Aspects of Sociolinguistic Research(1975)
PART THREE LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL CLASS
　Editor’S Introduction
　　7 Foreword to Basil Bernstein's Class，Codes and Control Vol．2：Applied Studies towards a Sodotogy ofLanguage(1973)
　　8 Language and the Theory of Codes(1994)
PART FOUR LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
　Edltor’s Introduction
　　9 An Interpretation of the Functional Relationship between Language and Social Structure(1978)
　　10 Anti-languages(1976)
Afterword
Bibhography
Index