ABSTRACT

The Understanding Language series provides approachable, yet authoritative, introductions to all the major topics in linguistics. Ideal for students with little or no prior knowledge of linguistics, each book carefully explains the basics, emphasising understanding of the essential notions rather than arguing for a particular theoretical position.

Understanding Language Change offers a complete introduction to historical linguistics and language change. The book takes a step-by-step approach, first by introducing concepts through English examples and building on this with illustrations from other languages.

Key features of this introductory text include:

  • up to date and recent case studies at the end of each chapter
  • chapter summaries and exercises that feature a wide range of languages
  • coverage of application of historical linguistics in each chapter
  • glossary of terms

This book is essential reading for any students studying Historical Linguistics for the first time.

chapter 1|27 pages

Setting the scene

chapter 2|24 pages

Changes to the lexicon

chapter 3|23 pages

Changes to the semantics

chapter 4|31 pages

Changes in sound structure

chapter 5|28 pages

Changes in word structure

chapter 6|28 pages

Changes in sentence structure

chapter 7|27 pages

The spread of change

chapter 8|26 pages

Languages in contact

chapter 9|32 pages

Relatedness between languages

chapter 10|30 pages

An end on’t