Overview

English is spoken or written today by a third of the world's population - an unprecedented achievement for a language. How has this situation come about? And what happens to a language when it is used by so many? In this illustrated history David Crystal charts the development of the language from the earliest runic inscriptions in Old English, through the emergence of a standard variety of English between 1400 and 1800, to the most modern forms of the language in 'concrete' and 'text' poetry. In telling the story he draws on examples from English in its various guises and uses - from our everyday English to English in the workplace and English used as a medium of playful and literary expression. The regional and international varieties of English are also considered. This book shows us where language is now, where it has been, and - perhaps most important of all - where it is heading, for the new varieties of the language appearing in world literature and on the Internet show that this is a story which is by no means over.

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9780712350990

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Reviews

"""Combining a hobbyist's enthusiasm with an academic's erudition, [Crystal] has a knack for writing in a down-to-earth style that appeals to a wide audience regardless of how familiar they are with the subject matter. . . . Evolving English is a beautifully illustrated history, each page spread containing at least one large image alongside concise and helpful commentary. A history of language might sound like a dry subject to the uninitiated, but it is in fact pretty spectacular . . . and with pictures this ongoing mystery story comes vividly to life."" -- ""ELT Journal "" ""Perhaps the world's most prolific authority on English language and linguistics, Crystal is one of only a few scholars who can make difficult subjects accessible to a wide audience. . . . An excellent addition to any library's holdings on English language history. . . . Highly recommended."" -- ""Choice"""

""Combining a hobbyist's enthusiasm with an academic's erudition, [Crystal] has a knack for writing in a down-to-earth style that appeals to a wide audience regardless of how familiar they are with the subject matter. . . . Evolving English is a beautifully illustrated history, each page spread containing at least one large image alongside concise and helpful commentary. A history of language might sound like a dry subject to the uninitiated, but it is in fact pretty spectacular . . . and with pictures this ongoing mystery story comes vividly to life."" -- ""ELT Journal "" ""Perhaps the world's most prolific authority on English language and linguistics, Crystal is one of only a few scholars who can make difficult subjects accessible to a wide audience. . . . An excellent addition to any library's holdings on English language history. . . . Highly recommended."" -- ""Choice""

Author Information

David Crystal is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster on language and linguistics. He is the author of many books including The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (CUP, 1995), The Stories of English (Penguin, 2005), By Hook or by Crook: A Journey in Search of English (HarperPress, 2007) and Txtng: The Gr8 Db8 (OUP, 2008).

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