The Long Journey of English

A Geographical History of the Language

Peter Trudgill (Université de Fribourg, Switzerland)

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English

Cambridge University Press
08 June 2023

Language: history & general works; Sociolinguistics; Historical & comparative linguistics

English is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, with native-speaking communities at the furthest ends of the earth. However, just three thousand years ago, the language-which-became-English was not spoken anywhere in Britain. Trudgill, one of the foremost authorities on the English language, takes us on a remarkable journey through the history of English to show how it grew to become the global phenomenon that we know today. Over ten short, easily digestible chapters, he traces its development and global spread, starting with the earliest genesis of English five thousand years ago, exploring its expansion in the British Isles, and finishing with an overview of how the language looks today, including its use in an increasingly digital world. Particular attention is paid to the native-speaker varieties of English from all around the world, and the relationship between colonial varieties of English and indigenous languages.

By: Peter Trudgill (Université de Fribourg Switzerland)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 13mm
Weight: 444g
ISBN: 9781108845120
ISBN 10: 1108845126
Pages: 190
Publication Date: 08 June 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Prologue: a view from the birthplace; 1. Where it all started: the language which became English; 2. The journey begins: the first movement south; 3. Interlude: a view from the Celtic island; 4. Heading west again: the North Sea crossing 400–600; 5. Anglo-Saxons and Celts in the English highlands 600–800; 6. And further west: across the Irish Sea 800–1200; 7. Atlantic crossing: on to the Americas 1600–1800; 8. Onwards to the Pacific shore; 9. Across the Equator: into the Southern Hemisphere 1800–1900; 10. Some turning back: English in retreat; 11. Meanwhile… Britain and the British Isles from 1600; 12. Transcultural diffusion: the New Native Englishes; Epilogue: sixteen hundred years on.

Peter Trudgill is Emeritus Professor of English Linguistics at Fribourg University and Honorary Professor of Sociolinguistics at the University of East Anglia. He has honorary doctorates from the Universities of Uppsala, East Anglia, La Trobe, British Columbia, Patras, Murcia and Lublin. Recent publications include European Language Matters (2021), Millennia of Language Change (2020) and Dialect Matters (2016).

Reviews for The Long Journey of English: A Geographical History of the Language

‘Here is an original and eminently enjoyable book detailing the origins of our language and the millennia-long geographical spread of earlier stages of what was to become English in all its varieties.’ Robert Fulks, Professor Emeritus of English, Indiana University ‘Peter Trudgill’s account of the geographical journey of the English language is highly educational, truly captivating, and uniquely sensitive to what has been lost along the way.’ Erik Smitterberg, Professor of English Linguistics, Uppsala University ‘This book is a real page turner. Some people find readings about the History of the English Language boring. This is not going to happen with this book - Peter Trudgill marries a thrilling exploration of geographical expansion and retreat with a masterful investigation of the linguistic facts. Food for thought!’ Benedikt Szmrecsanyi, Professor of Linguistics, KU Leuven