The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (Hardcover)

by Rodney D. Huddleston (Author), Geoffrey K. Pullum (Author) "This book is a description of the grammar of modern Standard English, providing a detailed account of the principles governing the construction of English words,..." (more)
Key Phrases: modal remoteness, catenative construction, backshifted preterite, Present-day English, United States, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Although the title may suggest that this is a usage manual or style guide, it is actually a reference work that, in the authors' words, aims to "outline and illustrate the principles that govern the construction of words and sentences...without recommending or condemning particular usage choices." With help from an impressive group of international scholars, linguistics professors Huddleston (English Grammar: An Outline) and Pullum (Phonetic Symbol Guide) here provide a comprehensive and detailed look at the principles of the English language. Chapters are divided into several subsections, with ample examples and explanations for each concept; both a conceptual and a lexical index are included. Although the writers attempt to "bridge a gap...between traditional grammar and the partial descriptions of English grammar proposed by those working in the field of linguistics," the book leans heavily toward the field of linguistics. This makes it more accessible to the informed student of linguistics than to the simple lover of the English language. It is nevertheless an authoritative addition to the fields of both English grammar and linguistics. Recommended for all academic libraries.
Manya S. Chylinski, Ernst & Young Ctr. for Business, Boston
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"With help from an impressive group of international scholars, linguistics professors Huddleston (English Grammar: An Outline) and Pullum (Phonetic Symbol Guide) here provide a comprehensive and detailed look at the principles of the English language...[A]n authoritative addition to the fields of both English grammar and linguistics. Recommended for all academic libraries." Library Journal

"The Cambridge Grammar of English manages to be at once authoritative, sensible and readable. It provides what the standard usage and style manuals lack, and an understanding of how English grammar as a whole works, and of what the facts of usage really are." Terry Langendoen, Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona, past President of the Linguistic Society of America, and former Chair of the Linguistics and Language Sciences section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Everything about this book is a credit to the authors and the publishers. It is authoritative, interesting, reasonably priced (for a book of this size), beautifully designed, well proofread, and enjoyable to handle.... It is both a modern complement to existing descriptive grammars and an important resource for anyone interested in working with or finding out about English.... a very complete and convincing demonstration that the ideas of modern theoretical linguistics can be deployed in the detailed description of a particular language.... this book is as appropriate for the formally trained linguist wishing to broaden the range of data that a theory covers as for the software engineer wishing to augment NLP skills with a more serious understanding of how the language works." Computational Linguistics

"[A]n authoritative addition to the fields of both English grammar and linguistics. Recommended for all academic libraries." Library Journal

"Sets new standards, informed by the achievements of both traditional and formal grammatical studies." Bernard Comrie

"In English grammar-writing it begins a new epoch." Aimo Seppanen, University of Gotenberg

"A notable achievement. No other grammar of English is at once as comprehensive and as systematically and lucidly informed by present-day linguistic theory. I see it as an essential work of reference." Peter Matthews, Professor of Linguistics, University of Cambridge

"The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language is one of the most superb works of academic scholarship ever to appear on the English liguistics scene. This was a magnificent team effort, spanning more than ten years. Together these linguists have produced a monumental work that offers easily the most comprehensive and thought-provoking treatment of English grammar to date. Nothing rivals this work, with respect to breadth, depth and consistency of coverage." Australian Book Review

"The Cambridge Grammar of English is for the 21st century what Jespersen's A Modern English Grammar, and Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech and Svartvik's A Contemporary English Grammar were for the 20th." Terry Langendoen, Professor of Lingustics at the University of Arizona

"One admires at once its great scope and the authors' scrupulous attention to detail.... Within its school, the prevailing one presently, this grammar is unquestionably the authoritative resource." Choice

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1860 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (April 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521431468
• ISBN-13: 978-0521431460
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 2.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #101,178 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Words are not enough..., January 20, 2003

By	Srebrenica Forever (Sweden) - See all my reviews

Dealing with virtually every essential aspect of English grammar, this book will probably achieve a special status at universities worldwide. Never have I seen such a splendid achievement in english studies before! Containing a well-researched and thorough account of all grammatical structures, this book can be used both as a complete reference as well as a meticulous elaboration and analysis of english grammar. I own a great number of well-written english grammar books but this book surpasses all of them in every aspect. Not only because it is very comprehensive and meticulous but also because it assumes a different approach to english grammar. Even though the book has 1300 pages, you will discover how easy it is to find whatever you may be looking for. Further, upon locating the target information, you will learn that the structure of the book facilitates reading and comprehension. Also, unnecessary terminology has been removed from the book in order to ascertain understanding. Needless to say, every serious english student should own this book. Using the word masterpiece to describe this book will not suffice. See for yourself!

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Greatness marred by false economy, February 12, 2007

By	Dr Russell Dean (Canberra, Australian Capital Territory) - See all my reviews

This is a great book that I anticipate reading and utilising for the next twenty years or more. However, it is unforgivable that the binders should fail to section sew rather than perfect or notch bind this volume. My copy is already showing signs of wear after only a fortnight of use.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magesterial, January 3, 2008

By	Karl Hagen (Arcadia, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This excellent descriptive grammar is currently the most comprehensive and up-to-date account of English grammar available. For someone familiar with an older generation of English grammars, even grammars written by linguists, this work represents a significant rethinking of they way English is described. It incorporates a large body of research that has occurred since the last major grammar of English, A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language by Quirk et al.

Unlike that earlier book, Huddleston and Pullum are more explicitly theoretical, but they are not wedded to any particular school of syntax and the writing is always accessible to the interested non-specialist. You don't need advanced training in linguistics to understand what the authors are saying. Their analysis explicitly challenges many older ideas about English grammar, and in almost every case they provide clearly reasoned arguments in favor of their position. For example, they argue that many words which have traditionally been understood as adverbs or subordinating conjunctions are better explained as prepositions.

The most detailed arguments, intended for specialists, are clearly set off in blue boxes, so you can avoid the minutiae unless you're interested.

I have noticed a handful of cases where the analysis or terminology seems arbitrary, but in these cases, the authors' decisions are internally consistent. There is only a problem if you are comparing this work to other grammars. For example, Huddleston and Pullum use the terms "determiner" and "determinative" in exactly the opposite way that Quirk et al. do, and do not give any reasons for their switch. Similarly, they treat the perfect as a secondary tense rather than an aspect (the approach taken in many earlier linguistically-based grammars) without explaining why one should prefer one analysis to another.

But such problems are minor in comparison to the vast insight that the work brings to the structure of English. Even if you think you have a good understanding of English grammar, this work will likely open your eyes.

I highly recommend this work if you need a thorough reference grammar and can afford the price. Indeed, if you plan to write a textbook on English, this work is required reading. If you are a student looking for a good introduction, I instead recommend A Student's Introduction to English Grammar by the same authors.