Joy Kreeft Peyton, Peg Griffin, Walt Wolfram, & Ralph Fasold (eds.), Language in action: New studies of language in society: Essays in honor of Roger W. Shuy. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, 2000. Pp. xv, 608. Hb $120.00, Pb $37.50.

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Many scholars and researchers doing sociolinguistics will agree that “Every language is a social product, and every society constitutes itself through language” (Coulmas 2001:563). In other words, many sociolinguists share the conviction that language should be accounted for in its social context for the simple reason that we live in reality instead of virtually. And Roger W. Shuy has set us an excellent example. Throughout his whole life, Shuy, “a living monument to the power of language in everyday life” (p. x), has attached great importance to investigating language issues in real-life encounters, insightfully claiming “that possibilities for linguistic research are everywhere, as language is used wherever we turn” (2). What is more important and more admirable is that Shuy has shown that sociolinguists can and should contribute to advancing social progress in various areas through their own research work. In other words, sociolinguistic researchers should have a social commitment to use their “linguistic ‘tool bag’ (his well-known term) to shed some light on real-world problems” (577). This finds expression in the volume under review, in which many chapters are contributed by his former students. The diversity of the topics covered provides insight into how language and various aspects of social life are closely linked together. This book should be of much interest and great value to those interested in language in society.