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A History of English Spelling - (Edinburgh Textbooks on the English Language - Advanced) by Simon Horobin
About this item
Highlights
- Popularly viewed as eccentric and illogical, dismissed by linguists as fixed and therefore uninteresting, English spelling is the Cinderella of modern linguistics.
- Author(s): Simon Horobin
- 184 Pages
- Language + Art + Disciplines, Language Arts
- Series Name: Edinburgh Textbooks on the English Language - Advanced
Description
About the Book
A lively introduction to English spelling.Book Synopsis
Popularly viewed as eccentric and illogical, dismissed by linguists as fixed and therefore uninteresting, English spelling is the Cinderella of modern linguistics. But it is a complex and fascinating subject. With a rich history of variation, English spelling has much to offer diachronic sociolinguists, while study of its history helps to explain many of today's apparent irregularities. The story of its standardisation, beginning with the advent of the printing press, and the destandardisation currently being witnessed on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, offers new perspectives on how technology drives linguistic change, and reveals fascinating insights into the ways in which variable spelling is being repurposed today.
With plenty of exercises, worked examples throughout and a concluding chapter on how to create your own research project, Simon Horobin encourages you to delve into the rich and varied landscape of English spelling.