Almost all activities, in all cultures and throughout the duration of human life, involve the systematic creation and reception of a vast variety of material signs, which we call language. Numerous theories, methodological tools, and practical applications have managed to illuminate different aspects of this complex subject. The book is an original introduction to the study of language, aiming to orient the uninitiated reader to the subject and the branches of modern linguistics. Its goal is to present the main findings of research in a concise and comprehensible ‒but not simplistic‒ manner, emphasizing language in its different manifestations as text, variety, and system. In the second, revised edition, rich material and examples have been added, as well as questions that examine and extend the issues developed in each chapter.