The Development of Standard English, 1300–1800: Theories, Descriptions, Conflicts

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511551758

There are many questions yet to be answered about how Standard English came into existence. The claim that it developed from a Central Midlands dialect propagated by clerks in the Chancery, the medieval writing office of the king, is one explanation that has dominated textbooks to date. This book reopens the debate about the origins of Standard English, challenging earlier accounts and revealing a far more complex and intriguing history. An international team of fourteen specialists offer a wide-ranging analysis, from theoretical discussions of the origin of dialects, to detailed descriptions of the history of individual Standard English features. The volume ranges from Middle English to the present day, and looks at a variety of text types. It concludes that Standard English had no one single ancestor dialect, but is the cumulative result of generations of authoritative writing from many text types.

‘The Development of Standard English, 1300–1800 provides thought-provoking insights into the past of standard English. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in a refreshing re-examination of the teaching of the story of this language.’

Source: International Trade

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-vi
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Contents
pp vii-viii
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List of contributors
pp ix-x
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Acknowledgements
pp xi-xii
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Introduction
pp 1-8
- By Laura Wright
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Part one - Theory and methodology: approaches to studying the standardisation of English
pp 9-10
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1 - Historical description and the ideology of the standard language
pp 11-28
- By Jim Milroy
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2 - Mythical strands in the ideology of prescriptivism
pp 29-48
- By Richard J. Watts
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3 - Rats, bats, sparrows and dogs: biology, linguistics and the nature of Standard English
pp 49-56
- By Jonathan Hope
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4 - Salience, stigma and standard
pp 57-72
- By Raymond Hickey
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5 - The ideology of the standard and the development of Extraterritorial Englishes
pp 73-92
- By Gabriella Mazzon
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6 - Metropolitan values: migration, mobility and cultural norms, London 1100–1700
pp 93-114
- By Derek Keene
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Part two - Processes of the standardisation of English
pp 115-116
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7 - Standardisation and the language of early statutes
pp 117-130
- By Matti Rissanen
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8 - Scientific language and spelling standardisation 1375–1550
pp 131-154
- By Irma Taavitsainen
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9 - Change from above or from below? Mapping the loci of linguistic change in the history of Scottish English
pp 155-170
- By Anneli Meurman-Solin
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10 - Adjective comparison and standardisation processes in American and British English from 1620 to the present
pp 171-194
- By Merja Kytö, Suzanne Romaine
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11 - The Spectator, the politics of social networks, and language standardisation in eighteenth-century England
pp 195-218
- By Susan Fitzmaurice
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12 - A branching path: low vowel lengthening and its friends in the emerging standard
pp 219-229
- By Roger Lass
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Index
pp 230-236
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The Development of Standard English, 1300–1800

Theories, Descriptions, Conflicts

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-vi

Contents
pp vii-viii

List of contributors
pp ix-x

Acknowledgements
pp xi-xii

Introduction
pp 1-8

Part one - Theory and methodology: approaches to studying the standardisation of English
pp 9-10

1 - Historical description and the ideology of the standard language
pp 11-28

2 - Mythical strands in the ideology of prescriptivism
pp 29-48

3 - Rats, bats, sparrows and dogs: biology, linguistics and the nature of Standard English
pp 49-56

4 - Salience, stigma and standard
pp 57-72

5 - The ideology of the standard and the development of Extraterritorial Englishes
pp 73-92

6 - Metropolitan values: migration, mobility and cultural norms, London 1100–1700
pp 93-114

Part two - Processes of the standardisation of English
pp 115-116

7 - Standardisation and the language of early statutes
pp 117-130

8 - Scientific language and spelling standardisation 1375–1550
pp 131-154

9 - Change from above or from below? Mapping the loci of linguistic change in the history of Scottish English
pp 155-170

10 - Adjective comparison and standardisation processes in American and British English from 1620 to the present
pp 171-194

11 - The Spectator, the politics of social networks, and language standardisation in eighteenth-century England
pp 195-218

12 - A branching path: low vowel lengthening and its friends in the emerging standard
pp 219-229

Index
pp 230-236

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The Development of Standard English, 1300–1800

Theories, Descriptions, Conflicts

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