Language History, Language Change, and Language Relationship: An Introduction to Historical and Comparative Linguistics - Paperback
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Historical and Comparative Linguistics: A Comprehensive Introduction
This textbook provides a thorough introduction to historical and comparative linguistics, exploring fundamental questions about language evolution and change. Written by Hans Henrich Hock and Brian D. Joseph, this edition from de Gruyter Mouton addresses why languages transform over time and how linguistic relationships are established across centuries.
Core Topics Covered
The book examines essential questions in historical linguistics: Why does language change over generations? What makes Shakespeare's English challenging for modern readers, and why is Chaucer's fourteenth-century English nearly incomprehensible today? The text explores these phenomena through accessible explanations and extensive linguistic examples from both familiar and exotic languages.
The textbook investigates the linguistic divide between American and British English, explaining how varieties of the same language can diverge while maintaining their fundamental connection. These real-world applications make abstract linguistic concepts tangible for students.
Updated Edition Features
This revised edition includes significant improvements throughout. Most chapters have been reworked to enhance clarity and accessibility. Difficult passages have been removed or rewritten, making complex linguistic concepts easier to grasp. New sections have been added, including expanded coverage of sound change regularity and its significance for historical-comparative linguistics.
The chapter notes and bibliography have been completely updated to reflect current scholarship in the field. These revisions ensure students have access to the most relevant resources for further study.
Pedagogical Approach
The content is designed to engage students through topics that spark intellectual curiosity. The presentation level suits beginners with little or no background in linguistics, making it an ideal introductory textbook for undergraduate courses. The straightforward writing style aims at non-specialists while maintaining academic rigor.
Language coverage extends well beyond typical historical linguistics textbooks, featuring considerable data from various languages of India alongside examples from more commonly studied languages. This diverse linguistic coverage provides students with a global perspective on language change and relationships.
About the Authors
Hans Henrich Hock teaches at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, while Brian D. Joseph is affiliated with Ohio State University. Their combined expertise in historical and comparative linguistics provides students with authoritative guidance through this complex field.
Why does language change? Why can we speak to and understand our parents but have trouble reading Shakespeare? Why is Chaucer's English of the fourteenth century so different from Modern English of the late twentieth century that the two are essentially different languages? Why are Americans and English 'one people divided by a common language'? And how can the language of Chaucer and Modern English - or Modern British and American English - still be called the same language? The present book provides answers to questions like these in a straightforward way, aimed at the non-specialist, with ample illustrations from both familiar and more exotic languages.
Most chapters in this new edition have been reworked, with some difficult passages removed, other passages thoroughly rewritten, and several new sections added, e.g. on the regularity of sound change and its importance for general historical-comparative linguistics. Further, the chapter notes and bibliography have all been updated.
The content is engaging, focusing on topics and issues that spark student interest. Its goals are broadly pedagogical and the level and presentation are appropriate for interested beginners with little or no background in linguistics. The language coverage for examples goes well beyond what is usual for books of this kind, with a considerable amount of data from various languages of India.
Hans Henrich Hock, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Brian D. Joseph, Ohio State University, USA.
Edition
3rd Rev. Edition
Contributor(s)
Author
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Historical and Comparative Linguistics: A Comprehensive Introduction
This textbook provides a thorough introduction to historical and comparative linguistics, exploring fundamental questions about language evolution and change. Written by Hans Henrich Hock and Brian D. Joseph, this edition from de Gruyter Mouton addresses why languages transform over time and how linguistic relationships are established across centuries.
Core Topics Covered
The book examines essential questions in historical linguistics: Why does language change over generations? What makes Shakespeare's English challenging for modern readers, and why is Chaucer's fourteenth-century English nearly incomprehensible today? The text explores these phenomena through accessible explanations and extensive linguistic examples from both familiar and exotic languages.
The textbook investigates the linguistic divide between American and British English, explaining how varieties of the same language can diverge while maintaining their fundamental connection. These real-world applications make abstract linguistic concepts tangible for students.
Updated Edition Features
This revised edition includes significant improvements throughout. Most chapters have been reworked to enhance clarity and accessibility. Difficult passages have been removed or rewritten, making complex linguistic concepts easier to grasp. New sections have been added, including expanded coverage of sound change regularity and its significance for historical-comparative linguistics.
The chapter notes and bibliography have been completely updated to reflect current scholarship in the field. These revisions ensure students have access to the most relevant resources for further study.
Pedagogical Approach
The content is designed to engage students through topics that spark intellectual curiosity. The presentation level suits beginners with little or no background in linguistics, making it an ideal introductory textbook for undergraduate courses. The straightforward writing style aims at non-specialists while maintaining academic rigor.
Language coverage extends well beyond typical historical linguistics textbooks, featuring considerable data from various languages of India alongside examples from more commonly studied languages. This diverse linguistic coverage provides students with a global perspective on language change and relationships.
About the Authors
Hans Henrich Hock teaches at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, while Brian D. Joseph is affiliated with Ohio State University. Their combined expertise in historical and comparative linguistics provides students with authoritative guidance through this complex field.
Why does language change? Why can we speak to and understand our parents but have trouble reading Shakespeare? Why is Chaucer's English of the fourteenth century so different from Modern English of the late twentieth century that the two are essentially different languages? Why are Americans and English 'one people divided by a common language'? And how can the language of Chaucer and Modern English - or Modern British and American English - still be called the same language? The present book provides answers to questions like these in a straightforward way, aimed at the non-specialist, with ample illustrations from both familiar and more exotic languages.
Most chapters in this new edition have been reworked, with some difficult passages removed, other passages thoroughly rewritten, and several new sections added, e.g. on the regularity of sound change and its importance for general historical-comparative linguistics. Further, the chapter notes and bibliography have all been updated.
The content is engaging, focusing on topics and issues that spark student interest. Its goals are broadly pedagogical and the level and presentation are appropriate for interested beginners with little or no background in linguistics. The language coverage for examples goes well beyond what is usual for books of this kind, with a considerable amount of data from various languages of India.
Hans Henrich Hock, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Brian D. Joseph, Ohio State University, USA.
Edition
3rd Rev. Edition
Contributor(s)
Author