The Development of Standard English, 1300–1800: Theories, Descriptions, Conflicts

Studies in English Language

by Laura Wright (Editor)

This book traces the development of Standard English, revealing a complex and intriguing history that challenges the usual textbook accounts. Leading scholars offer a wide-ranging analysis, from theoretical discussions of the origin of dialects, to detailed descriptions of the history of individual Standard English features. Ranging from Middle English to the Modern English period, the volume concludes that Standard English had no one single ancestor dialect, but is the cumulative result of generations of authoritative writing from many text types.

Genres: Linguistics

252 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2000

About the author

Historical sociolinguist