The Secret History of Language

Nyhet

Language Change Unraveled

Häftad, Engelska, 2026

AvLyle Campbell

389 kr

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What are the causes of language change? Where do words come from? Is modern technology and social media corrupting our language? Language change is just as relevant today as it ever was, yet the secrets of how and why it occurs remain tantalisingly out of reach to anyone without a background in linguistics. This book has the answers. Written by one of the leading experts in the field, it provides readers with an accessible account of language change, unraveling the processes and phenomena that have so far remained locked within academia. It explores a range of fascinating topics, such as whether language change is bad, whether change is different in some kinds of languages than others, and if television, AI, and modern technology have any impact on language change. Written in a lively and engaging way, it uncovers the marvels and mysteries of language change for anyone curious about this captivating field.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2026-06-18
Mått152 x 229 x 13 mm
Vikt354 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor240
FörlagCambridge University Press
ISBN9781009757997

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Lyle Campbell is Professor Emeritus at the University of Hawai'i Mānoa. His research specializations include historical linguistics, language documentation, America's Indian languages, and typology. He has been awarded the LSA's Leonard Bloomfield Book Award twice, for American Indian Languages (Oxford University Press, 2000) and Historical Syntax in Cross-linguistics Perspective (with Harris, Cambridge University Press, 1995).

1. Language history: past offenses or glorious achievements?; 2. What's in a word?; 3. You get my drift? Meaning change; 4. Language mooching: loanwords and borrowing; 5. Sound change costs and benefits; 6. How do languages clean up their act? The might of analogy; 7. Can languages change their grammatical spots? Can old grammars learn new grammatical tricks?; 8. All in the family: language classification; 9. Writing and the magic of writing systems; 10. Thereby hangs a tale: Linguistic prehistory; 11. Is linguistic Armageddon nigh? What's ahead for the world's languages?; Appendix: language families of the world (including language isolates).

'Engagingly written by a leading historical linguist, this book treats its readers to a richly illustrated exposé of popular myths about language in general, specific languages, and change in language(s). Campbell explores how words and names (including his own!) originate, how meanings, sounds, and grammatical constructions and categories are transformed over time, how linguists determine, analyze, and model such changes, and more. All in all, an informative - and entertaining - read!' Brian D. Joseph, The Ohio State University