History of English Spelling
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€31.99
A01=Simon Horobin
Author_Simon Horobin
Category=CBX
Category=CFB
Category=CFF
Category=CFLA
Category=NHD
Category=NHTB
English language
English spelling
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eq_dictionaries-language-reference
eq_history
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eq_non-fiction
historical linguistics
history of English
language variation and change
linguistics
philology
sociolinguistics
Product details
- ISBN 9781399500234
- Dimensions: 138 x 216mm
- Publication Date: 31 Mar 2025
- Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Paperback
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Popularly viewed as eccentric and illogical, dismissed by linguists as fixed and therefore uninteresting, English spelling is the Cinderella of modern linguistics. But it is a complex and fascinating subject. With a rich history of variation, English spelling has much to offer diachronic sociolinguists, while study of its history helps to explain many of today's apparent irregularities. The story of its standardisation, beginning with the advent of the printing press, and the destandardisation currently being witnessed on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, offers new perspectives on how technology drives linguistic change, and reveals fascinating insights into the ways in which variable spelling is being repurposed today.
With plenty of exercises, worked examples throughout and a concluding chapter on how to create your own research project, Simon Horobin encourages you to delve into the rich and varied landscape of English spelling.
Simon Horobin is Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford
