Understanding Language Change

The Understanding Language series provides approachable, yet authoritative, introductions to all the major topics in linguistics. Ideal for students with little or no prior knowledge of linguistics, each book carefully explains the basics, emphasising understanding of the essential notions rather than arguing for a particular theoretical position.

Understanding Language Change offers a complete introduction to historical linguistics and language change. The book takes a step-by-step approach, first by introducing concepts through English examples and building on this with illustrations from other languages.

Key features of this introductory text include:

• up to date and recent case studies at the end of each chapter
• chapter summaries and exercises that feature a wide range of languages
• coverage of application of historical linguistics in each chapter
• glossary of terms

This book is essential reading for any students studying Historical Linguistics for the first time.

Kate Burridge is Professor and Chair of Linguistics at Monash University, Australia.

Alexander Bergs is Professor and Chair of English Language and Linguistics at the University of Osnabrück, Germany.