Evolving English. One language, many voices : an illustrated history of the English language / David Crystal.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Crystal, David.

Contributor:

Albert C. Baugh Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

English language--History.

English language.

History.

Physical Description:

159 pages : illustrations (some color), facsimiles, portraits ; 29 cm

Place of Publication:

London : British Library, 2010.

Summary:

Summary: English is spoken or written today by a third of the world's population - an unprecedented achievement for a language. How has this situation come about? And what happens to a language when it is used by so many? In this illustrated history David Crystal charts the development of the language from the earliest runic inscriptions in old English, through the emergence of a standard variety of English between 1400 and 1800, to the most modern forms of the language in 'concrete' and 'text' poetry. In telling the story he draws on examples from English in its various guises and uses | from our everyday English to English in the workplace and English used as a medium of playful and literary expression. The regional and international varieties of English are also considered. This book shows us where language is now, where it has been, and | perhaps most important of all | where it is heading, for the new varieties of the language appearing in world literature and on the Internet show that this is a story which is by no means over.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Albert C. Baugh Book Fund.

ISBN:

0712350993

9780712350990

9780712350983

0712350985

OCLC:

662405859

Publisher Number:

99948521106