This engaging textbook provides a unique introduction to language and society, by showing students how to tap into the linguistic resources of their communities. Assuming no prior experience of linguistics, it begins with chapters on introductory methods and ethics, creating a foundation for students to think of themselves as linguists. It then offers students the sociolinguistics tools they need to look both locally and globally at language and the social issues with which it interacts. The book is illustrated throughout with examples from 98 distinct languages, enabling students to connect their local experiences with global ones, and each chapter ends with classroom and community-focused exercises, to help them discover the underlying rules that shape language use in their own lives. Students will gain a greater appreciation for, and understanding of, the linguistically diverse and culturally complex sociolinguistic issues around the world, and how language interacts with multiple domains of society.