The History of English: An Introduction

The History of English: An Introduction provides a chronological analysis of the linguistic, social, and cultural development of the English language from before its establishment in Britain around the year 450 to the present. Each chapter represents a new stage in the evolution of the language, all illustrated with a rich and diverse selection of primary texts. The book also explores the wider global course of the language, including a historical review of English in its pidgin and creole varieties and as a native and/or second language in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Australasia.

The third edition, carefully revised and updated throughout, includes:

chapter introductions and conclusions to assist in orientation plus additional marginal references throughout;

the addition of 21 timelines often running from Old English to Present-Day English and focusing on a variety of features;

a new focus on the relevance of change for and in Present-Day English;

discussions on the role and image of women, the (in-)visibility of social classes, and regional variation in English;

material on bilingualism, code-switching, and borrowing, and on the effects of the social media on language use;

over 90 textual examples demonstrating linguistic change and over 100 figures, tables and maps, including 31 colour images, to support and illuminate the text;

updated online support material including brief introductions to Old and to Middle English, further articles on linguistic, historical, and cultural phenomena which go beyond the scope of the book, additional sample texts, exercises, and audio clips.

With study questions as well as recommendations for further reading and topics for further study, The History of English is essential reading for any student of the English language and will be of relevance to any course addressing the origins and development of the English language.