The Politics of American English - Softcover

Simpson, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0195056434 ISBN 13: 9780195056433

Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr, 1988

Synopsis

Language, its nature, and its uses have always been controversial topics. Starting from the premise that language is an important organizing principle in the life of human beings, and is experienced both individually and collectively, this study brings into focus the highly charged years in America between 1776 and 1850 when questions of language mirrored the social and political arguments of the time. David Simpson tells the story of the fierce debate on both sides of the Atlantic over what American English was, what it might become, and what it ought to be. With a strong narrative line, he shows that by the middle of the 19th century, America had a version of English recognizably its own. To explain how this happened and why, he provides detailed studies of Noah Webster and James Fenimore Cooper, a new reading of the mythologies of Native American languages, and an iconoclastic interpretation of the language philosophy informing many of the Transcendentalist writers.

About this title

Synopsis:

An account of the growth of American English, which shows that by the time of Melville and Hawthorn a distinctly American language existed. The book is principally concerned with the arguments for an "American" English and its social and political significance.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0195056434
• ISBN 13: 9780195056433
• Binding: Paperback