The framework for linguistics described in this book is not an introduction to linguistics in the conventional sense. Rather, it is an invitation to those entering the discipline to become intrigued by things lingual. Working from the premise that linguistics is not many disciplines, but one, however much it is sometimes divided up into formal ("theoretical") and sociolinguistic camps, it is designed to provide insight into phenomena operating within the lingual dimension of our experience, that circumscribes the field of linguistics. The framework allows young scholars entering the field to gain an understanding of why and how the discipline is academically sustainable, a perspective that is likely to be useful beyond the shifts in linguistic paradigms that they will no doubt experience in their academic lifetimes.

Academic literacy - prepare to learn is different from traditional courses in that it is task-based: it requires of language learners who are developing their academic literacy to do authentic academic tasks and to solve real academic problems. It assumes that telling students about how tasks must be done is never enough - they must be allowed to demonstrate that they can actually do real academic work.