{"product_id":"the-history-of-english-spelling-isbn-9781405190244","title":"The History of English Spelling","description":"The History of English Spelling \u003cp\u003e“Fifty years ago, G. H. Vallins contributed a book on spelling to the Language Library. Since then, there have been several major surveys, and new opportunities to explore the history of English words. The time is therefore ripe for a fresh presentation, and this is what George Davidson has done, building on the huge collection of historical data amassed by Christopher Upward, and giving it narrative shape. I have been waiting for a source-book like this for a long time, and I’m delighted that it has found a place in this series.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e David Crystal, \u003ci\u003eLanguage Library series\u003c\/i\u003e editor \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Few languages are riddled with as many spelling inconsistencies and irregularities as English. Why is there such dissonance between the sounds of English and the spelling used to represent them? The answer lies in the history of the language itself. \u003ci\u003eThe History of English Spelling\u003c\/i\u003e reveals the rich and complex history of Modern English spelling, tracing its origins and development from Old English up to the present day. The book provides a highly detailed, letter-by-letter analysis of the Old English basis of Modern English spelling, followed by in-depth coverage of the contributions from French, Latin, Greek and the many other languages that have contributed to current orthography. Upward and Davidson also explore events in the socio-political history of England as the setting for developments in spelling, along with the works of a number of lexicographers (especially Johnson and Webster), and various proposals for spelling reform. \u003ci\u003eThe History of English Spelling\u003c\/i\u003e reveals the richness of the complex and often frustrating alphabetic spelling system used in the English language. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e A complementary website with additional research material can be found at www.historyofenglishspelling.info  List of Figures and Tables viii  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePreface ix\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbbreviations and Symbols xi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLanguage Periods Referred to in the Text xiv\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 Introduction and Overview 1\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2 England and English from the Romans to the Vikings 14\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 The Old English Roots of Modern English Spelling 33\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 The Decline and Revival of English in the Middle English Period 65\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 The Franco-Latin Element 86\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 Some Sound and Spelling Developments in Middle and Modern English 173\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 The Greek Contribution 194\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 The Exotic Input 228\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 Reformers, Lexicographers and the Parting of the Ways 293\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGlossary of Technical Terms 315\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBibliography 320\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLanguage and Dialect Index 324\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWord and Word-Element Index 328\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral Index 373\u003c\/p\u003e  “Summing Up:  Highly recommended.  All readers.”  (\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e, 1 October 2012) \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChristopher Upward\u003c\/b\u003e (1938–2002) was a Senior Lecturer in German at Aston University, Birmingham until 1995. He was Editor-in-Chief of the \u003ci\u003eJournal of the Simplified Spelling Society\u003c\/i\u003e, an Associate Editor of \u003ci\u003eThe Oxford Companion to the English Language\u003c\/i\u003e (1992) and author of \u003ci\u003eCut Spelling: A handbook to the simplification of written English by omission of redundant letters\u003c\/i\u003e (1992 and 1996). \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e George Davidson\u003c\/b\u003e is a freelance lexicographer, book compiler and editor. He has written several books on English grammar, usage, spelling and vocabulary, such as \u003ci\u003eHow to Punctuate\u003c\/i\u003e (2005) and \u003ci\u003eImprove Your Spelling\u003c\/i\u003e (2005), and has edited numerous books, including the 150th Anniversary Edition of \u003ci\u003eRoget’s Thesaurus of English Words \u0026amp; Phrases\u003c\/i\u003e (2002). He has formerly worked as a French teacher and lecturer in linguistics. \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e“Fifty years ago, G. H. Vallins contributed a book on spelling to the Language Library. Since then, there have been several major surveys, and new opportunities to explore the history of English words. The time is therefore ripe for a fresh presentation, and this is what George Davidson has done, building on the huge collection of historical data amassed by Christopher Upward, and giving it narrative shape. I have been waiting for a source-book like this for a long time, and I’m delighted that it has found a place in this series.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e David Crystal, \u003ci\u003eLanguage Library series\u003c\/i\u003e editor \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Few languages are riddled with as many spelling inconsistencies and irregularities as English. Why is there such dissonance between the sounds of English and the spelling used to represent them? The answer lies in the history of the language itself. \u003ci\u003eThe History of English Spelling\u003c\/i\u003e reveals the rich and complex history of Modern English spelling, tracing its origins and development from Old English up to the present day. The book provides a highly detailed, letter-by-letter analysis of the Old English basis of Modern English spelling, followed by in-depth coverage of the contributions from French, Latin, Greek and the many other languages that have contributed to current orthography. Upward and Davidson also explore events in the socio-political history of England as the setting for developments in spelling, along with the works of a number of lexicographers (especially Johnson and Webster), and various proposals for spelling reform. \u003ci\u003eThe History of English Spelling\u003c\/i\u003e reveals the richness of the complex and often frustrating alphabetic spelling system used in the English language. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e A complementary website with additional research material can be found at www.historyofenglishspelling.info\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley-Blackwell","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47990258434277,"sku":"NP9781405190244","price":110.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781405190244.jpg?v=1761787095","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-history-of-english-spelling-isbn-9781405190244","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}