Speaking and Language: Defence of Poetry is a book of criticism by Paul Goodman that blames academic, structured approaches to linguistics for diminishing the role of creativity and spontaneity in speaking and human nature.
Publication
Random House first published the book's hardcover cloth edition in January 1972, though the official publication date had listed November 1971. A paperback edition by Vintage Books followed in August 1972. Speaking and Language released in the United Kingdom in 1973.[1]
Borklund, Elmer (1977). "Paul Goodman". Contemporary Literary Critics. Contemporary Writers of the English Language. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 226–231. ISBN978-0-333-22667-4.
Lipsius, Frank (May 1973). "Rev. of Speaking and Language". Books and Bookmen. 18: 58–59. ISSN0006-744X – via Book Review Index.
Merideth, Robert (April 3, 1972). "Venus Will Now Say a Few Words (Rev. of Speaking and Language)". The Nation. 214 (14): 437. ISSN0027-8378.
Nicely, Tom (1979). "906 Speaking and Language". Adam and His Work: A Bibliography of Sources by and about Paul Goodman (1911–1972). Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. pp. 155–156. ISBN978-0-8108-1219-2. OCLC4832535.