This is a classic edition of Geoffrey Beattie's and Andrew Ellis' influential introduction to the psychology of human language and communication, now including a new reflective introduction from the authors. Drawing on elements from many sub-disciplines, including cognitive and social psychology, psycholinguistics and neuropsychology, the book offers an approach which breaches conventional disciplinary boundaries. Exploring the diverse nature of communication, Beattie and Ellis focus on the range of human communicative channels and the variations which occur both between and within societies and cultures.

Written from an informative and entertaining historical perspective, The Psychology of Language and Communication remains a key resource for anyone interested in the psychology of communication, language and linguistics, 30 years on from its first publication.

'Thirty years ago Geoffrey Beattie and Andrew Ellis astutely pointed out that language takes place in conversation, where verbal messages always go hand in hand with non-verbal communication. Yet language was primarily studied in isolation. Since then some progress has been made, but there is still a long way to go. Students and more advanced researchers alike will benefit from reading this classic book, serving as an essential reminder that language's true function is to communicate.', Suzanne Jongman, PhD. Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics.