Chapter One: Setting the Scene
Chapter Two: Changes to the Lexicon
Chapter Three: Changes to the Semantics
Chapter Four: Changes in Sound Structure
Chapter Five: Change in Word Structure
Chapter Six: Change in Sentence Structure
Chapter Seven: The Spread of Change
Chapter Eight: Languages in Contact
Chapter Nine: Relatedness between Languages
Chapter Ten: An end on't
Biography
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.
"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
