Description
The History of English Spelling
“Fifty years ago, G. H. Vallins contributed a book on spelling to the Language Library. Since then, there have been several major surveys, and new opportunities to explore the history of English words. The time is therefore ripe for a fresh presentation, and this is what George Davidson has done, building on the huge collection of historical data amassed by Christopher Upward, and giving it narrative shape. I have been waiting for a source-book like this for a long time, and I’m delighted that it has found a place in this series.”
David Crystal, Language Library series editor
Few languages are riddled with as many spelling inconsistencies and irregularities as English. Why is there such dissonance between the sounds of English and the spelling used to represent them? The answer lies in the history of the language itself. The History of English Spelling reveals the rich and complex history of Modern English spelling, tracing its origins and development from Old English up to the present day. The book provides a highly detailed, letter-by-letter analysis of the Old English basis of Modern English spelling, followed by in-depth coverage of the contributions from French, Latin, Greek and the many other languages that have contributed to current orthography. Upward and Davidson also explore events in the socio-political history of England as the setting for developments in spelling, along with the works of a number of lexicographers (especially Johnson and Webster), and various proposals for spelling reform. The History of English Spelling reveals the richness of the complex and often frustrating alphabetic spelling system used in the English language.
A complementary website with additional research material can be found at www.historyofenglishspelling.info
Table of Contents
List of Figures and Tables viii
Preface ix
Abbreviations and Symbols xi
Language Periods Referred to in the Text xiv
1 Introduction and Overview 1
2 England and English from the Romans to the Vikings 14
3 The Old English Roots of Modern English Spelling 33
4 The Decline and Revival of English in the Middle English Period 65
5 The Franco-Latin Element 86
6 Some Sound and Spelling Developments in Middle and Modern English 173
7 The Greek Contribution 194
8 The Exotic Input 228
9 Reformers, Lexicographers and the Parting of the Ways 293
Glossary of Technical Terms 315
Bibliography 320
Language and Dialect Index 324
Word and Word-Element Index 328
General Index 373
