Kirjahaku

In this lively and engaging textbook, Rob Penhallurick introduces readers to the diversity and history of the English language, and to relevant contemporary and classic work in linguistics. Organised into eighteen thematic chapters, each of which can be read in one sitting, it covers topics such as the effects of dialect and accent on identity, swearing and offensive names in English, language and gender, language planning and theories about the origin of language. Chapters are full of entertaining examples, illustrations and suggestions for further reading. This is an ideal companion for all those new to the study of the English language, and essential reading for anyone with a general interest in the subject.

In this lively and engaging textbook, Rob Penhallurick introduces readers to the diversity and history of the English language, and to relevant contemporary and classic work in linguistics. Organised into eighteen thematic chapters, each of which can be read in one sitting, it covers topics such as the effects of dialect and accent on identity, swearing and offensive names in English, language and gender, language planning and theories about the origin of language. Chapters are full of entertaining examples, illustrations and suggestions for further reading. This is an ideal companion for all those new to the study of the English language, and essential reading for anyone with a general interest in the subject.

This book provides an accessible yet comprehensive introduction to the study of the dialects of English as they are spoken around the world, from the earliest dialect dictionaries of the sixteenth century to contemporary research emerging from the field of geolinguistics. Organised into ten thematic chapters, it explores and evaluates the methods and purposes of each approach to the study of dialectal variation, with full explanations of technical terms throughout.Illuminating one of the most productive fields of interest in language study, this compelling book is essential reading for students of dialect and regional difference in English.