The Social History Of Language

This volume of essays brings together work by social historians of Britain, France and Italy.

A Social History of English is the first history of the English language to utilize the techniques, insights and concerns of sociolinguistics. Written in a non-technical way, it takes into account standardization, pidginization, bi- and multilingualism, the issues of language maintenance and language loyalty, and linguistic variation. This new edition has been fully revised. Additions include: * new material about 'New Englishes' across the world * a new chapter entitled 'A Critical Linguistic History of English Texts' * a discussion of problems involved in writing a history of English All terms and concepts are explained as they are introduced, and linguistic examples are chosen for their accessibility and intelligibility to the general reader. It will be of interest to students of Sociolinguistics, English Language, History and Cultural Studies.

poetics of belonging in the region. --Book Jacket.

"A Social History of English" is a history of the English language that utilizes the techniques, insights and concerns of sociolinguistics. Written in a non-technical way, it takes into account standardization, pidginism, bi- and multi-lingualism and the issues of language maintenance, language loyalty and linguistic variation. This edition has been fully revised including: updated information about "New Englishes" in different parts of the world, a selection of texts from Anglo-Saxon to the present, a theoretical postscript outlining some problems in writing the history of English and topics for further study. All terms and concepts are explained as they are introduced, and linguistic examples are chosen for their accessibility and intelligibility to the general reader.

Tracing the history of swearing from ancient Anglo-Saxon traditions and those of the Middle Ages, through Shakespeare, the Enlightenment and the Victorians, to the Lady Chatterley trial and various current trends, Geoffrey Hughes explores a fascinating, little discussed yet irrespressible part of our linguistic heritage. This second edition contains a Postscript updating various contemporary developments, such as the growth of Political Correctness.

The modern world began with the clash of civilisations between Spaniards and native Americans. Their interplay and struggles ever since are mirrored in the fates of the very languages they spoke. The conquistadors wrought theirs into a new 'world language'; yet the Andes still host the New World's greatest linguistic survivor, Quechua. Historians and linguists see this through different - but complementary - perspectives. This book is a meeting of minds, long overdue, to weave them together. It ranges from Inca collapse to the impacts of colonial rule, reform, independence, and the modern-day trends that so threaten native language here with its ultimate demise.