Language Change: Progress or Decay? (1st Edition) - Softcover

Aitchison, Jean

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0006359833 ISBN 13: 9780006359838

Publisher: HarperCollins Distribution Services, 1986

Synopsis

This is a lucid and up-to-date overview of language change. It discusses where our evidence about language change comes from, how and why changes happen, and how languages begin and end. It considers both changes which occurred long ago, and those currently in progress. It does this within the framework of one central question - is language change a symptom of progress or decay? It concludes that language is neither progressing nor decaying, but that an understanding of the factors surrounding change is essential for anyone concerned about language alteration. For this substantially revised third edition, Jean Aitchison has included two new chapters on change of meaning and grammaticalization. Sections on new methods of reconstruction and ongoing chain shifts in Britain and America have also been added as well as over 150 new references. The work remains non-technical in style and accessible to readers with no previous knowledge of linguistics.

About this title

Review

'The book is a very good and readable introduction to the discipline of historical linguistics and covers a very large number of questions.' The Linguist

Book Description

This is a lucid and up-to-date overview of language change, considering both changes that occurred long ago and those currently in progress. This substantially revised third edition includes two new chapters on change of meaning and grammaticalization. New sections have also been added as well as over150 new references.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins Distribution Services
• Publication date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0006359833
• ISBN 13: 9780006359838
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256