Roots of English
Exploring the History of Dialects
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
Published:11th Oct '12
Currently unavailable, currently targeted to be due back around 2nd December 2024, but could change
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£29.99(9780521681896)
A groundbreaking account of the linguistic features of four English dialects and their wider implications for English's development.
This groundbreaking investigation examines four dialects from parts of northern Britain out of which came the founding populations of many regions in other parts of the world. Using numerous examples, Sali Tagliamonte comprehensively describes and analyses key features of the dialects and their implications for the development of English.What is the explanation for the nature, character and evolution of the many different varieties of English in the world today? Which changes in the English language are the legacy of its origins and which are the product of novel influences in the places to which it was transported? Roots of English is a groundbreaking investigation into four dialects from parts of northern Britain out of which came the founding populations of many regions in other parts of the world. Sali Tagliamonte comprehensively describes and analyses the key features of the dialects and their implications for subsequent developments of English. Her examination of dialect features contributes substantive evidence for assessing and understanding bigger issues in sociolinguistic theory. Based on exciting new findings, the book will appeal to those interested in dialects, from the Anglophile to the syntactician.
'English was born in England and Scotland. Over the centuries it spread from Britain to Ireland and across the Atlantic and beyond. But even in far-flung locations, the roots of English in British dialects are detectable not only in broad outline but, if you are clever enough, in all sorts of fascinating detail. And Sali Tagliamonte is clever enough. This book is a tour de force of historical dialectology.' Peter Trudgill, University of Agder
'Tagliamonte forcefully demonstrates how the comparison of strategically located dialects in the British Isles can help understand the systematic evolution of English around the world. But she has also managed to retain the cultural and human soul of dialects by liberally incorporating applicable quotes and observations from the speakers into her rigorous comparative analysis, resulting in a pleasant, insightful read.' Walt Wolfram, William C. Friday Distinguished University Professor and Director, North Carolina Language and Life Project, North Carolina State University
'This book delves into the 'treasure trove' of data that constitutes the 'Roots' corpus with the goal of answering questions that have long engaged dialectologists, historical linguists and sociolinguists who have not heretofore had the wherewithal to properly address them. The accessibility of Tagliamonte's prose is as impressive as the breadth of her comparative analyses - a feat that will undoubtedly draw in the wide readership that her work so richly deserves.' Karen P. Corrigan, University of Newcastle
'… will serve as a useful resource not only for researchers on variation and change in dialects of English but also for historical linguists working on the reconstruction of language history. Tagliamonte's coupling of the historical comparative method with variationist analysis is an exciting exemplification of what might be called 'historical sociolinguistics'.' James A. Walker, English Language and Linguistics
ISBN: 9780521863216
Dimensions: 235mm x 157mm x 16mm
Weight: 550g
270 pages