The English Language

by Robert W. Burchfield

Book Overview

Here, Robert Burchfield, editor of the four-volume Supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary, offers a brief survey on the development of English. He expertly stresses the flexibility of the English language, tracing its ever-changing face from the 5th century AD to the present day. Burchfield describes the resilience of the language--from the days of runes to the origins of printing, through social, religious, political and industrial change in...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198604033
• ISBN13: 9780198604037
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.49 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Extremely informative book

Extremely informative brief introduction on the development of the English language, particularly emphasising its flexibility. For the most part, enjoyable read: there were parts where I felt my attention slip, and some hard slogs through some paragraphs, but all-in-all an entertaining, informative and thought-provoking [leaves you wanting more...] book. The Afterword -- which looks at what a language can tell us about its speakers, about culture, and furthermore how language is being studied and analysed today -- is well worth the read also.