Overview

The English Language is an essential survey of the development of the language from its Indo-European past to the present day. Now in a third edition, this text offers enhanced discussion of the socio-historical and cultural contexts of the English language, new approaches to the history of English, and an anthology of specimen texts from the four major periods of English: Old, Middle, Early Modern, and Modern.

Full Product Details

9780199019151

Table of Contents

Reviews

The English Language is particularly good at the phonological history of the language from IE forward. . . . [it] covers very well the history of morphological and syntactic change in English. . . . The amount of detail in formal description on the IE and General Germanic periods is very satisfying, and I don't know of any parallel in alternative textbooks. At the other end of the timeline, the amount of detail and the accuracy in the treatment of Canadian varieties of English is also very satisfying, and, again, I don't know of any parallel in alternative textbooks. --Michael Cummings, York University Brinton and Arnovick is based on sound and up-to-date linguistic scholarship, frequently cited directly in the text, which inspires confidence. . . . Very readable and engaging. --Murray McGillivray, University of Calgary From previous editions: The book is well-organized and clear . . . without assuming a lot of knowledge on the part of students. --Richard J. Moll, University of Western Ontario Brinton and Arnovick's book is, I think, the best textbook in its field. --John Considine, University of Alberta

""The English Language is particularly good at the phonological history of the language from IE forward. . . . [it] covers very well the history of morphological and syntactic change in English. . . . The amount of detail in formal description on the IE and General Germanic periods is very satisfying, and I don't know of any parallel in alternative textbooks. At the other end of the timeline, the amount of detail and the accuracy in the treatment of Canadian varieties of English is also very satisfying, and, again, I don't know of any parallel in alternative textbooks."" --Michael Cummings, York University ""Brinton and Arnovick is based on sound and up-to-date linguistic scholarship, frequently cited directly in the text, which inspires confidence. . . . Very readable and engaging."" --Murray McGillivray, University of Calgary From previous editions: ""The book is well-organized and clear . . . without assuming a lot of knowledge on the part of students."" --Richard J. Moll, University of Western Ontario ""Brinton and Arnovick's book is, I think, the best textbook in its field."" --John Considine, University of Alberta

Author Information

Laurel J. Brinton specializes in English language studies, with particular interest in grammaticalization and historical pragmatics. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California. In addition to co-authoring The English Language: A Linguistic History, she has co-edited the two-volume English Historical Linguistics: An International Handbook (Mouton) and is the co-editor of English Language and Linguistics (Cambridge University Press). Leslie K. Arnovick specializes in English language studies, with particular interest in historical pragmatics. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to co-authoring The English Language: A Linguistic History, she has also written several monographs profiling Medieval English and diachronic pragmatics.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available