The archaeology of English - Martyn F Wakelin

This is an account of the origins and development of the English language, from its Germanic roots to the present day.;The author concentrates on examining the original materials from which the history of the English language can be constructed. These supporting materials include examples of original texts, runes and maps which range from inscriptions and comments by classical authors for the prehistoric Germanic period, to present day borrowings from other languages and cultures.;For the Old English and Middle English periods up to about 1475 the characteristic examples of languages use are literary texts; while the main evidence from about 1450-1700 when the language settled down virtually to its modern form is taken from statements by grammarians and other writers about language, from dictionaries and from dialect forms, survivals and variations in different regions of England and America.;Martyn Wakelin has also written "Language and History in Cornwall", "Discovering English Dialects" and "English Dialects: An Introduction".