A Biography of the English Language [Hardcover]

C.M. Millward (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0155016458 | ISBN-13: 978-0155016453 | Publication Date: January 2, 1996 | Edition: 2

The second edition of A Biography of the English Language continues to examine the structure of language. The textbook discusses three important issues: languages and language change are systematic; the inner history of a language is profoundly affected by its outer history of political and culural events; and the English of the past has everywhere left its traces on present-day English. By uncovering the language's past, one can better communicate with it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book is very well written with a very appealing "voice" and is very clear in its explanations. It focuses appropriately on the most significant changes in the history of English."

"The text introduces concepts basic to the study of the development of any language, and then uses the concepts as a lens to specifically view the developmental periods of English." --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 2 edition (January 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0155016458
• ISBN-13: 978-0155016453
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #305,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty, erudite, and worth the $$$$, July 25, 1998

By 

Maura Keaney ([e-mail]) (Arlington, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biography of the English Language (Hardcover)

For anyone interested in historical linguistics, Millward's textbook is the first you should read. Her dry sense of humor livens even the most dense chapters on inner history and spelling reform. The book is intended to serve as a text for a graduate course on the history of English, and it is useful for both experienced linguists as well as those who have no prior coursework in linguistics. The text begins with chapters on language, phonology, and writing to provide the novice with background on linguistics, phonology, and phonemic transcription. The chapters that follow on Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Present Day English have dense, but easy to read, overviews of both inner and outer history of the language. Millward intersperses humorous vignettes with her main text and heightens the reader's appreciation for the language

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interested in learning about the history of English?, July 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Biography of the English Language (Hardcover)

This book was one of the first books to turn me onto the field of Linguistics. --BUT-- you don't need to be a linguist to enjoy this book. All you need is a curiosity in the history of the English language. Suddenly, all the crazy "rules" of grammar, and the seemingly senseless spelling of many words start to make sense. It is fascinating to see how the language has evolved, and you learn to appreciate the nature of language.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book from a brilliant author, January 26, 2009

By 

Upright Citizen (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Biography of the English Language (Paperback)

I was fortunate to have Celia Millward as a professor at Boston University. This book was the textbook for her own class on the history of the English language. The book offers an excellent history of the English language that I think any English speaker would find simply fascinating. We use this language every day, so it is interesting to know where it came from! It is also very readable and enjoyable--Mrs. Millward's wit and humor comes across as strongly as her knowledge as an authority on the subject. I highly recommend it.