The English Language: A Linguistic History / Edition 3

by Laurel J. Brinton, Leslie K. Arnovick

Overview

The English Language: A Linguistic History surveys the development of the English language from its Indo-European past to the present day. It covers the entire history of the English language beginning with its prehistoric origins in Proto-Indo-European and includes thorough coverage of its four major periods: Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English.

The third edition features enhanced discussion of the socio-historical and cultural contexts of the English language in the new "Language in Context" features in each chapter. Brief timelines of historical events also now appear at the beginning of relevant chapters, supplementing the comprehensive timeline (linguistic, literary, historical, and social) found in the appendices. Discussion of new approaches to the history of English, such as historical pragmatics and historical sociolinguistics, have been added or expanded along with new debates, such as the current work on the Proto-Indo-Europeans or the status of English as a global language or second language. A new appendix includes an anthology of specimen texts from the four major periods of English, chosen for their use of colloquial and non-literary language.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199019151
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/01/2017
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	640
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Laurel J. Brinton, Professor, Department of English, University of British Columbia,Leslie K. Arnovick, Professor, Department of English, University of British Columbia

Table of Contents

List of Tables, Figures, and Sample TextsPrefaceAbbreviations1. Studying the History of EnglishOverviewObjectivesWhy Study the History of English? A Definition of LanguageThe Components of LanguageLinguistic Change in EnglishThe Nature of Linguistic ChangeThe Origin of LanguageAttitudes toward Linguistic ChangeResources for Studying the History of EnglishRecommended Resources2. Sounds and Sound Change in EnglishOverviewObjectivesThe Sounds of EnglishSound ChangeThe Writing of EnglishRecommended Resources3. Causes and Mechanisms of Language ChangeOverviewObjectivesCauses of ChangeMorphological and Syntactic ChangeSemantic ChangePragmatic ChangeRecommended Resources4. The Indo-European Language Family and Proto-Indo-EuropeanOverviewObjectivesClassification of LanguagesLanguage FamiliesThe Indo-European Language FamilyProto-LanguageReconstructionProto-Indo-EuropeanRecommended Resources5. Germanic and the Development of Old EnglishOverviewObjectivesProto-GermanicGrammatical and Lexical Changes from PIE to GermanicPhonological Changes from PIE to GermanicA Brief History of Anglo-Saxon EnglandThe Records of the Anglo-SaxonsRecommended Resources6. The Words and Sounds of Old EnglishOverviewObjectivesThe Word Stock of the Anglo-SaxonsThe Orthographic System of Old EnglishThe Phonological System of Old EnglishStressA Closer Look at the Language of an Old English TextRecommended Resources7. The Grammar of Old EnglishOverviewObjectivesThe Nominal SystemThe Verbal SystemSyntaxA Closer Look at the Language of an Old English TextRecommended Resources8. The Rise of Middle English: Words and SoundsOverviewObjectivesFrench and English in Medieval EnglandThe Word Stock of Middle EnglishThe Written Records of Middle EnglishOrthographic ChangesConsonant ChangesVowel ChangesA Closer Look at the Language of a Middle English TextRecommended Resources9. The Grammar of Middle English and Rise of a Written StandardOverviewObjectivesThe Effects of Vowel ReductionComparison of a Middle English and an Old English TextChange from Synthetic to AnalyticMiddle English as a Creole? The Rise of a Standard DialectA Closer Look at the Language of a Middle English TextRecommended Resources10. The Words, Sounds, and Inflections of Early Modern EnglishOverviewObjectivesEarly Modern English VocabularyThe Great Vowel ShiftChanges in the Short Vowels and DiphthongsA Closer Look at the Language of an Early Modern English TextChanges in ConsonantsRenaissance RespellingsChanges in Nominal Inflected FormsCase UsageChanges in Verbal Inflected FormsA Closer Look at the Language of an Early Modern English TextRecommended Resources11. Early Modern English Verbal Constructions and Eighteenth-Century PrescriptivismOverviewObjectivesEarly Modern English SyntaxLate Modern English and the Rise of PrescriptivismAims of the Eighteenth-Century GrammariansMethods of the Eighteenth-Century GrammariansThe Question of UsageDictionariesRecommended Resources12. Modern EnglishOverviewObjectivesGrammatical and Lexical Changes in Late Modern EnglishChanges in ProgressThe Effect of New Media on EnglishRecommended Resources13. Varieties of EnglishOverviewObjectivesThe Development of National VarietiesImportant Regional Varieties of the British IslesEnglish as a Global LanguageRecommended ResourcesAppendix A: Quick Reference GuideAppendix B: Timeline of Significant Historical, Social, Literary, and Linguistic Events in the History of EnglishAppendix C: Anthology of ReadingsExercise KeyGlossary of Linguistic TermsWorks CitedIndex

Editorial Reviews

"This book perfectly serves the audience it aims for. Indeed, it is written in such a way that students with no prior knowledge of the subject or terminology can approach the text even through individual study. The introduction to the basic concepts on language change and relative terminology are useful in gradually leading the student to a deeper understanding of English. In addition, historical and social background provided in each chapter integrates and contextualises the overview of linguistic features...the contents are presented clearly and simply and the textbook itself is an example of how to introduce students to the study and research of the history and varieties of the English language."—Linguist List

From the Publisher