LibGuides: Linguistics: Background Sources

Why use Reference Works?

Dictionaries and encyclopedias provide introductory information and are a great way to get familiar with new linguistic topics and terminology. Handbooks provide an authoritative in depth summary for a particular area. This page features reference works that cover the entire field of linguistics. See the tabs for specific linguistic subfields in this guide for specialized reference sources. References sources about languages in general are on the Languages tab.

Best Bet

Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics (Second Edition)
Concise scholarly articles on historical, comparative and typological linguistics as well as on applied subdisciplines. Covers core areas such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Includes bibliographical references, illustrations and diagrams.
Credo Reference
Search and access the full text of selected reference books, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias, covering a wide range of subjects.

Dictionaries

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics
The third edition of The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics is an authoritative and invaluable reference source covering every aspect of the wide-ranging field of linguistics.
A Dictionary of Grammatical Terms in Linguistics

A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (6th ed.) by David Crystal
Call Number: P29 .C65 2003 (5th ed.)
Publication Date: 2009-02-24

Encylopedias

Cambridge Encyclopedia of the Language Sciences
Incorporates both well-established findings and cutting-edge research and classical approaches and new theoretical innovations.
International Encyclopedia of Linguistics
Contains over 900 articles which provide a detailed overview of theory & research in all branches of linguistics. Every known language is covered & each article is followed by a detailed bibliography.
International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences
This Encyclopedia is the first attempt in a generation to map the social and behavioral sciences on a grand scale.
Routledge Linguistics Encyclopedia
79 entries covering all major and subsidiary areas of linguistics and applied linguistics.