American English: An Introduction

by Zoltan Kovecses

This book is a cultural-historical (rather than purely linguistic) introduction to American English. The first part consists of a general account of variation in American English. It offers concise but comprehensive coverage of such topics as the history of American English; regional, social and ethnic variation; variation in style (including slang); and British and American differences. The second part of the book puts forward an account of how American English has developed into a dominant variety of the English language. It focuses on the ways in which intellectual traditions such as puritanism and republicanism, in shaping the American world view, have also contributed to the distinctiveness of American English.

348 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Zoltán Kövecses

Reviews

[strmmr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very straightforward, informative history of the development of American English. Kövecses relies heavily on a few sources (Bryson's books on the English language, Mencken, David Simpson, etc.) and divides that book on the basis that certain properties of language are more commonly found in American English than in British English.

Few radical claims are made, as the book is more historical than argumentative, but Kövecses has also written "Language, Mind, and Culture" which I consider to be a companion piece to this volume. Nevertheless, "American English" stands strong on its own and I would suggest it to anyone aching to learn the foundations on which American English is built and how it has changed over time.