The English Language (Hist of Literature)

This volume of The Penguin History of Literature is devoted to its medium, the English language. A first section considers present-day English, its sounds, grammar, vocabulary and stylistic varieties. A second section describes the growth of the language over the centuries and concludes with chapters on the social context of English-language studies and the role of English in the modern world. While each essay stands complete in itself, the book is designed to provide a grounding in the modern language through which to explore past developments. It constitutes an introduction to the subject, and full biographies point the way to further investigation.