The English Language (Oxford Language Classics) [Paperback]

Robert Burchfield (Author), John Simpson (Afterword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0198604033 | ISBN-13: 978-0198604037

Here, Robert Burchfield, editor of the four-volume Supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary, offers a brief survey on the development of English. He expertly stresses the flexibility of the English language, tracing its ever-changing face from the 5th century AD to the present day. Burchfield describes the resilience of the language--from the days of runes to the origins of printing, through social, religious, political and industrial change in the eighteenth century, through the rise of the British Empire and the development of world English, right up to the enormous changes in the English language that have taken place in the twentieth-century. In a stirring Afterword, John Simpson looks at what the historical details of the English Language tell us about the world of its speakers, and how ideas about what constitutes the English Language have changed over the past decades. Wonderfully informative and a delight to read, The English Language is an essential guide for anyone interested in the early days of our language and how it has transformed over the years into its modern form.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An expert, absorbing guide to the English-speaking world's biggest asset."--Sunday Times (London)

About the Author

Robert Burchfield was Chief Editor of the Oxford English dictionaries (1971-84) and is now an Emeritus Fellow of St Peter's College, Oxford. He has edited several English language reference works, including A Supplement to the OED and Fowler's Modern English Usage, Revised Third Edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198604033
• ISBN-13: 978-0198604037
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,148,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Extremely informative book, March 6, 2009

By 

I. Holder (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The English Language (Oxford Language Classics) (Paperback)

Extremely informative brief introduction on the development of the English language, particularly emphasising its flexibility. For the most part, enjoyable read: there were parts where I felt my attention slip, and some hard slogs through some paragraphs, but all-in-all an entertaining, informative and thought-provoking [leaves you wanting more...] book. The Afterword -- which looks at what a language can tell us about its speakers, about culture, and furthermore how language is being studied and analysed today -- is well worth the read also.