Books and Articles by Garrett Nicolai

Garrett Nicolai, PhD, is an assistant professor of teaching in linguistics and the MDS-CL program director at UBC. He is a co-author of Linguistics For Dummies, 2nd Edition.

Articles & Books From Garrett Nicolai

Linguistics For Dummies
Learn what language is all about—in an approachable, accessible way Linguistics For Dummies, 2nd Edition explains the science of language in simple terms, so you can wrap your mind around how human languages are structured and what they reveal about our world. With approachable explanations in this book and coverage of the social nature of language, cognitive language processing, and beyond, this guide a go-to resource.
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Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-12-2026
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language — covering everything from sounds and sentence structure to meaning, culture, and even computers. This cheat sheet introduces big thinkers like Pāṇini, Saussure, and Chomsky, explores how invented languages like Klingon and Esperanto come to life, and breaks down what working linguists actually do.