The English Language: A Very Short Introduction

The English language is spoken by more than a billion people throughout the world. But where did English come from? And how has it evolved into the language used today?

In this Very Short Introduction Simon Horobin investigates how we have arrived at the English we know today, and celebrates the way new speakers and new uses mean that it continues to adapt. Engaging with contemporary concerns about correctness, Horobin considers whether such changes are
improvements, or evidence of slipping standards. What is the future for the English language? Will Standard English continue to hold sway, or we are witnessing its replacement by newly emerging Englishes?

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and
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Author: Simon Horobin
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 03/25/2018
Pages: 152
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 6.80h x 4.30w x 0.60d
ISBN13: 9780198709251
ISBN10: 0198709250
BISAC Categories:
- Language Arts & Disciplines | Linguistics | Historical & Comparative

About the Author

Simon Horobin is Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Magdalen College. He has written extensively on the history, structure, and uses of the English language. He is the author of How English Became English (OUP, 2016), Does Spelling Matter? (OUP, 2013), and books on the history of English, and the language of Chaucer.