Overview

The English language is spoken by more than a billion people throughout the world. But where did English come from? And how has it evolved into the language used today? In this Very Short Introduction Simon Horobin investigates how we have arrived at the English we know today, and celebrates the way new speakers and new uses mean that it continues to adapt. Engaging with contemporary concerns about correctness, Horobin considers whether such changes are improvements, or evidence of slipping standards. What is the future for the English language? Will Standard English continue to hold sway, or are we witnessing its replacement by newly emerging Englishes?

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9781665221085

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Reviews

A happy mixture of scholarship, clear writing, and humor. -- Kirkus Reviews on How English Became English In this concise narrative of the history of the English language, Horobin analyzes historical context just enough to unfurl the object called 'English.' -- Library Journal (starred review), on How English Became English

"""A happy mixture of scholarship, clear writing, and humor."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews on How English Became English"" ""In this concise narrative of the history of the English language, Horobin analyzes historical context just enough to unfurl the object called 'English.'"" -- ""Library Journal (starred review), on How English Became English"""

Author Information

Simon Horobin is professor of English language and literature at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Magdalen College. He has written extensively on the history, structure, and uses of the English language. He is the author of How English Became English and other books on the history of English and the language of Chaucer. Shaun Grindell, actor and Earphones Award-winning narrator, was born and raised in Southampton, England. His training includes the Calland School of Speech and Drama and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in London. He has been seen on stage in London and Las Vegas.

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