Considering the need to provide a comprehensive and historical survey of research on language and culture, this handbook shows how research can be conducted under various interdisciplinary frameworks using different approaches and analytical tools.

This handbook consists of five parts. In part 1, chapter 1 is a general description of the book, while in chapter 2, readers are provided with primary researchers' views on linguistic relativity to help them avoid or discard misinterpretations. Part 2 reviews research into the encoding of culture in syntax (chapter 3), semantic meaning across cultures (chapter 4), and language use in different cultural contexts (chapter 5).

Part 3 (chapters 6–15) examines the relationship of language and several specific aspects of culture. Chapter 6 focuses on the notion of linguaculture and explains how this concept can be studied widely. Chapter 7 shows three different approaches to study the linguistic construction of gendered identities. Chapter 8 explains how studies of language in context can benefit from a sociocognitive approach. Chapter 9 introduces a discursive approach to politeness that does not assume a global model. Chapters 10 and 11 respectively review studies of sociocultural interaction and the semantic-pragmatic approach to the study of kinship. While the theory of cultural semiotics is discussed in chapter 12, chapter 13 focuses on difficulties in practical translation. Chapter 14 presents three approaches to studying the construction of identity. Chapter 15 shows how linguistic research contributes to studies of historical cultures.

Part 4 (chapters 16–24) deals with relationships between language, culture, and cognition. Chapter 16 discusses how cultural linguistics interprets the linguistic embodiment of cultures. Chapter 17 discusses cultural influences on language processing. Chapter 18 presents research on cultural influences on linguistic prototypicality. Chapters 19, 20, and 21 respectively review studies of cognitive conceptualization and the linguistic realization of color, space, and space-time across cultures. Chapter 22 investigates research on cultural factors in language acquisition. Chapters 23 and 24 successively examine research on how cultural norms and human emotions are represented through language.

In part 5, chapters 25 and 26 respectively review studies of language and culture in sociolinguistics and cognitive anthropology. Part 6 (chapters 27–31) covers research on applied linguistics and culture. Chapters 27, 28, and 29 respectively show how overall second language learning, second language writing studies, and second dialect learning are analysed. Chapters 30 and 31 individually survey three paradigms on intercultural communication and the new paradigm of World Englishes. Part 7 (chapters 32 and 33) evaluates cultural linguistics as a future direction for the study of language and culture.

This handbook is of great value and is a huge contribution in terms of its systematic survey and review of various past and current theoretical and analytical frameworks as well as methodological approaches used in studies of language and culture.