[.ca] Portuguese: A Linguistic Introduction (ISBN 0521805155)

It could be better:
This book contains a good deal of relevant information, but its impressive linguistic jargon may distract from the book's defects. A rather irritating feature is that a Latin language like Portuguese is analyzed from an Anglophone angle. Where it does not fit, it is 'wrong', as particularly evident in the distorted treatment given to the 'se indeterminado'. Claimed contrasts between Brazilian and European Portuguese are erratic and full of incorrect statements. The expression 'a gente' appears in this book as a Brazilian Portuguese vulgar alternative to the 1st person plural, overlooking the fact that it is equally and widely used in Portugal. At the most elementary level, this book has yet to learn that the European Portuguese for bathroom is not 'casa de banhos' but 'casa de banho'. I was also disappointed with the pages on forms of address. Inaccuracies are everywhere, e.g., using 'tu' for maids in Portugal would not be an expression of solidarity as the book tells you but a way of talking down to them. This takes me to something else I find rather irritating. In the bibliography at the end of the book plenty of minor works are included but some key works are missing. Unfortunate lapse! In the chapter on forms of address the book states that a study has not been carried out yet on this topic. What about the excellent analysis by Manuela Cook, Uma teoria das formas de tratatmento na lingua portuguesa, published by Georgetown University in Hispania in 1997. This book should know about it! Summing up, there is some good information in this book, but it could be better. It could be much better.

A good introduction to the language:
Although I speak Portuguese quite well this book has given me further insight on some aspects of the language. It is not for everyone. It is for the linguist but linguistic concepts are made easy in the book. It is a very detailed description of the language and I am pleased I have bought it.