本書是專為介紹台灣大學語言學課程。其目的是激勵學生，激發他們對語言的興趣，以及瞭解語言的本質並融入他們的生活中。比大多數的語言學教科書篇幅更短、更易於閱讀，但有更多的內容是直接關係到學生在台灣的生活，如國語，台語和原住民的南島語的例子。書中的練習題可讓學生檢查他們的學習成效。

Thomas Nash taught in the Department of English Language and Literature, Fu Jen Catholic University, from 1983 to 2009. He served as department head from 1993 to 1999 and taught introductory linguistics as well as a range of courses in applied linguistics and English. He has degrees in anthropology and language teaching and learning from Humboldt State, California, and the University of Hawaii-Manoa. He now works as an editor and translator.