-THE CENTRAL ARGUMENT OF THE BOOK IS THAT SPEECH HAS BEEN UNDER-RESEARCHED AS A FACULTY IN ITS OWN RIGHT AND AS DISTINCT FROM THE WRITTEN FORM -THE AUTHOR PRESENTS AN ORIGINAL STANCE ON THE TOPIC OF SPEAKING AND RELATES THIS TO WIDER ISSUES IN LIGUISTICS AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS -THIS IS A TIMELY REVIEW OF APPROACHES TO THE TOPIC OF TEACHING AND RESEARCHING SPEAKING, AND ONE WHICH DRAWS TOGETHER THESE INSIGHTS IN AN ACCESSIBLE WAY . IN SO DOING, IT ATTEMPTS TO CARVE OUT A NEW TERRITORY FOR THE TOPIC OF SPOKEN LANGUAGE WITHIN APPLIED LINGUISTICS