Understanding Language Change

Kate Burridge is Professor and Chair of Linguistics at Monash University, Australia.Alexander Bergs is Professor and Chair of English Language and Linguistics at the University of Osnabrück, Germany.

• Chapter One: Setting the SceneChapter Two: Changes to the Lexicon Chapter Three: Changes to the SemanticsChapter Four: Changes in Sound Structure Chapter Five: Change in Word Structure Chapter Six: Change in Sentence Structure Chapter Seven: The Spread of ChangeChapter Eight: Languages in ContactChapter Nine: Relatedness between LanguagesChapter Ten: An end on't

"An important addition to this excellent series, covering fundamentals in the ‘what’ of language change such as sound change, changes in the lexicon and syntactic change, as well as the ‘why’ including contact linguistics and the influence of language policy, and the ‘how' including diffusion and spread at multiple social levels. Each chapter comes with a rich set of data-driven problem solving exercises as well as a searching research question."Andrew Hippisley, University of Kentucky, USA"Drawing upon their own research, and concentrating upon English phenomena without ever losing sight of issues in other language communities, Kate Burridge and Alexander Bergs have packed a wealth of insights into a volume which is sure to make historical linguistics, in its broadest sense, both relevant and attractive to students, other linguists and curious laypeople alike. With its discussions and rich array of activities, this is a book which can be recommended for any undergraduate or MA programme in English Language or Linguistics."Anthony Grant, Edge Hill University, UK