Images of English: A Cultural History of the Language

by Richard W. Bailey

Images of English was the first book to focus exclusively on opinions about the language as they have evolved through time. Through the use of abundant quotations, Richard Bailey lets voices from the past speak to our present assumptions and challenges the notion of English triumphalism throughout the world and the ages. The book offers a unique historical perspective on attitudes towards the language. We see that journalists who fill anxious columns on slow news-days with fulminations on linguistic deterioration are embellishing centuries of complaint; that women who campaign for a language free of patriarchy and suited to themselves express a yearning first conveyed long ago; that teachers who recommend the vigour of Anglo-Saxon words are sustaining an idea that emerged four hundred years ago in notions about racial purity.

Genres: Linguistics

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Professor Richard Weld Bailey taught in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Michigan for 42 years (1965 –2007), where he was honored in 2002 with a collegiate professorship: the Fred Newton Scott Collegiate Professor of English.

He was a pioneer in the application of computers to research in the humanities,attending early conferences sponsored by IBM and the Rand Corporation (1964 and 1967).

Reviews

[Matthew Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to the spread and influence that the English language has had. The author includes many primary sources concerning his topic. For those looking to learn more about how the language has evolved, this is a strong resource.

[Julia P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good for a textbook, but overall pretty meh except for chapter 8 which talks a lot about English and future English in sci-fi.

[Stacy]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/3588616