A History of English Spelling
A lively introduction to English spelling
- Offers a comprehensive account of the history of English spelling with detailed discussion of examples
- Considers how changes in the functions, media and attitudes towards the written word have affected the way English is spelled
- Introduces a selection of key corpora and shows how they can be used in research projects
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.
Preface
Introduction: Writing Systems
Section A
1. Old English
2. Middle English
3. Standardisation
4. Early Modern English
5. Late Modern English
6. US English
7. Present-day English
8. Spelling Scots
Section B
9. Prescriptivist attitudes to correct spelling
10. Female spelling
11. Reforming spelling
12. Creating your own research project
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