The English Language In Modern Times Since 1400 Classic Reprint

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Excerpt from History of the English Language As regards the subject of nomenclature, I have seen no reason to alter essentially that which was employed in the previous editions. On one point in particular, action has not been taken unadvisedly. I have exam ined with care everything accessible on the subject, and, I think, nearly everything that has been published, and the more I have read, the less I have been im pressed with the force of the arguments against the use of the term anglo-saxon. I have therefore te tained it in this work, as furnishing what is all-impor tant in nomenclature, a term which, once understood, can never be misunderstood. It is very noticeable that those who are most violently opposed to its use, not unfrequently resort to it when they wish to define with absolute precision what they mean when they apply the term Old English to a particular period in the history of the language. There are, indeed, advantages and disadvantages connected with any terminology that may be adopted. It is certainly an argument in favor of the designation as Old English of what is here called anglo-saxon, that it makes promi nent the continuity of our speech. It is an objection to it that, besides the inevitable ambiguity of the epi thet old, ' it suggests wrong ideas as to the nature of that continuity. Still it would be folly to attach impor tance to this particular subject. It is only those who magnify matters of minor consequence that will con sider the question as one of much moment. I have. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from History of English: A Sketch of the Origin and Development of the English Language With Examples, Down to the Present Day In order to make the book complete there should, no doubt, have been an introductory chapter on Sounds, and how they are made.' 'this is omitted, partly in order to limit the book to some moderate length, partly because of the extreme difficulty of making such a chapter at once scientifically adequate and interesting to the ordinary reader. I have done my best to make what is stated in the course of the book intelligible without such an introduction. The book may perhaps seem in some places rather encumbered with notes. My principle has been to keep the text as short as possible, adding at the foot of the page such further explanations, illustrations, and cautions against mis take as some readers might be likely to wish for or require. Where any of these necessarily exceeded the limits of a footnote I have put it as an appendix. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Outlines of the History of the English Language If the sole function of language is the communication of thought it follows that every development of thought will produce also a development of language. What we require of language is, therefore, no small thing. We require of it that it shall give expression to every human activity, high and low, good and bad; that it shall render all human knowledge, human emotion, human faith and human ambitions; for the creative impulse in man will never rest until it has found its appropriate expression in words or deeds. We expect of language, therefore, that it shall give expression to every possible development of human thought, and the history of the literature in any particular language is the most convincing proof possible that language rises to the occasion and satisfies those demands. It is. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Origin and History of the English Language: And of the Early Literature It Embodies The Lectures which form the basis of the present volume were delivered at the Lowell Institute, in Boston, in the United States, in the autumn and winter of 1860-1861. They were prepared in the preceding summer, with such aids only as my private library afforded, and my departure for Europe in the spring of the latter year has prevented me from giving them so complete a revision as I had hoped to bestow upon them. I have, however, made such additions and other improvements as the time and means at my command would permit, and, having been invited to publish the Lectures first in England, I have endeavoured to remove from them whatever might seem designed exclusively for the American public, and have adapted them, as far as I was able, to the common wants of all who desire to study the literary history of the English tongue. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The English Language The first edition of the present work was laid before the public, with the intention of representing in a form as systematic as the extent of the subject would allow, those views concerning the structure and relations of the English language, which amongst such scholars as had studied them with the proper means and opportunities, were then generally received; and which, so being received, might take their stand as established and recognized facts. With the results of modern criticism, as applied to his native tongue, it was conceived that an educated Englishman should be familiar. To this extent the special details of the language were exhibited; and to this extent the work was strictly a Grammar of the English Language. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The English Language: Its History and Structure The paragraphs of this book printed in the larger type cover the more elementary parts of the subject, and are meant to form a first course; together with the paragraphs in smaller type to which no obelus (t) is prefixed they should be found sufficient to cover the requirements of the London University Matriculation Examination. The passages marked with an obelus are somewhat more advanced than the rest of the book, and may be omitted on a first reading. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.