Introduction

This chapter asks the question that is the springboard for the content of the entire book: Is English Changing? The answer is quickly shown to be “yes.” A brief comparison of Old English, Middle English, and Modern English is made, written in a highly accessible, easy-to-grasp style that draws the reader into the world of linguistics and language change. This chapter provides a brief summary of the material that is covered in subsequent chapters, and suggests questions that students can ask themselves or that a teacher can use to engage students in conversation about what it means for language to be changing.