Chapters on English: Re-Printed From "Progress in Language" (Classic Reprint)

Otto Jespersen

ISBN 10: 1330286278 / ISBN 13: 9781330286272

Published by Forgotten Books, 2018

About this Item

Print on Demand. This book examines the simplification of English language grammar over the centuries and the amalgamation of various cases into one common form. The author, an expert in the field, traces the evolution of English grammar from its complex Old English forms to the streamlined system used today. By comparing Old and Modern English declension systems, the author demonstrates how phonetic changes and the influence of analogy gradually led to the loss of distinct case endings. The book provides a detailed analysis of the factors that contributed to this linguistic shift and explores the broader implications for understanding the nature of language change. Ultimately, the book sheds light on the evolution of English grammar, highlighting the dynamic interplay between sound laws, analogy, and the quest for intelligibility in human communication. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book.

Seller Inventory # 9781330286272_0

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Chapters on English: Re-Printed From "Progress in Language" (Classic Reprint)
• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1330286278
• ISBN 13: 9781330286272
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Book Type: print-on-demand item
• Seller catalogs:
  • English Language

About this title

Synopsis

Hook line : This concise history traces how English possessives, pronouns, and early syntax evolved into the forms we use today.

It clarifies why the language’s small words still shape meaning and style.

In this compact study, you’ll follow the development of the English genitive and related pronoun usage from its medieval roots to its modern patterns. The book presents how different sources and changes converged, producing the familiar possessive forms and the shifting roles of pronouns in English sentence structure.

• Traces origins of the genitive from multiple linguistic paths and sources
• Explains how possessive pronouns and pronoun placement influenced syntax
• Describes changes in pronoun case before and after verbs, and related shifts
• Draws on examples from medieval to early modern English to illustrate ideas

Ideal for readers of linguistic history and students seeking a clear, compact account of how possessives and pronouns helped shape English syntax.

About the Author

Otto Jespersen (1860-1943) was professor of English at the University of Copenhagen. Among his many works in "Growth and Structure of the English Language," also published by the University of Chicago Press.