Synopses & Reviews
The study of the recent history of English is crucial in making connections between early and present day English. This volume focuses on the nineteenth century, an important period of both stability and change for the English language. Through ten detailed case studies, it highlights the relationships between English, its users, and nineteenth-century society, looking particularly at gender differences and variation across genres. It also discusses major structural aspects of nineteenth-century English, such as nouns, verbs and adjectives, and Germanic vs. Romance vocabulary. Although the nineteenth century is often viewed as a relatively stable period in the development of the language, this volume shows the 1800s to be a time of significant change, some of which continued into the twentieth century. By making comparisons possible with both earlier and later periods, it makes an important contribution to our overall understanding of the history of the English language.
Synopsis
This volume examines English during the nineteenth century, a period of both stability and change for the language. Considering both structural aspects and sociolinguistics issues, it compares nineteenth-century English with both earlier and later periods, making an important contribution to our overall understanding of the history of the English language.
Synopsis
Studying English in the recent past can reveal a great deal about its present-day state, and is crucial in making connections between early and contemporary English. This volume examines English during the nineteenth century, a period of both stability and change for the language. It highlights the relationships between English, its users, and nineteenth-century society; and discusses important structural aspects of English during that period. Comparing nineteenth-century English with both earlier and later periods, it makes an important contribution to our overall understanding of the history of the English language.
Synopsis
Explores English in the nineteenth century, showing it to be a period of both stability and change for the language.
About the Author
Merja Kytöis Professor of English Language, Uppsala University.Mats Rydén is Professor Emeritus in English, Uppsala University.Erik Smitterberg is a Post-doctoral Research Fellow in English Linguistics, Stockholm University.
Table of Contents
Introduction: exploring nineteenth century English - past and present perspectives Merja Kytö, Mats Rydén, Erik Smitterberg; 1. Modifiers describing women and men in nineteenth-century English Ingegerd Bäcklund; 2. Words in English record office documents of the early 1800s Tony Fairman; 3. The subjunctive in adverbial clauses in nineteenth-century English Peter Grund and Terry Walker; 4. The passive in nineteenth-century scientific writing Larisa Oldireva Gustafsson; 5. Relativizers in nineteenth-century English Christine Johansson; 6. Anaphoric reference in the nineteenth century: that/those + of constructions Mark Kaunisto; 7. Adjective comparison in nineteenth-century English Merja Kytöand Suzanne Romaine; 8. Nonfinite complement clauses in the nineteenth century: the case of 'remember' Christian Mair; 9. The 'in-ing' construction in British English, 1800-2000 Juhani Rudanko; 10. Partitive constructions in nineteenth-century English Erik Smitterberg.