Focus on England and Wales


Book Description

This volume is a wide-ranging study in dialectology. General surveys appear along with in-depth studies of particular problems. Some papers describe the present situation in terms of dynamic synchrony, others deal with the past and making use of present-day dialectal data to help solve certain problems and, finally, those that draw on the past to explain the present. Traditional dialectological methodology is presented here, as is modern quantificational and computative dialectology. Moreover, regional English and Welsh English are investigated on the phonological, morphological and syntactical levels.




The British Isles


Book Description

This volume gives a detailed overview of the varieties of English spoken on the British Isles, including lesser-known varieties such as those spoken in Orkney and Shetland and the Channel Islands. The chapters, written by widely acclaimed specialists, provide concise and comprehensive information on the phonological, morphological and syntactic characteristics of each variety discussed. The articles are followed by exercises and study questions. The exercises are geared towards students and can be used for classroom assignments as well as for self study in preparation for exams. Instructors can use the exercises, sound samples and interactive maps to enhance their classroom presentations and to highlight important language features.




Researching Northern English


Book Description

Northern English has become the focus of intensive research in the past decade or so, following on a series of dedicated conferences. The present book brings together leading-edge contributions on various aspects of language use, variation and change in the North of England. The volume covers the history of English in this area as well as providing incisive studies of both the varieties of English spoken in cities and in larger parts of the area. In addition, the collection contains a number of interface studies, e.g. concerned with the borders of the North of England, both to Scotland and the South of England or dealing with second-language varieties of Northern English or with additional issues, such as enregisterment. All these contributions help to draw a comprehensive picture of this key area of the English-speaking world and point the way forward for future research.