McColl Millar R. (ed.) Trask's Historical Linguistics

3rd edition. — London, New York: Routledge, 2015. — 432 p. — ISBN: 978-1-315-72805-6 (ebk)Trask's Historical Linguistics, Third Edition, is an accessible introduction to historical linguistics - the study of language change over time. This engaging book is illustrated with language examples from all six continents, and covers the fundamental concepts of language change, methods for historical linguistics, linguistic reconstruction, sociolinguistic aspects of language change, language contact, the birth and death of languages, language and pre-history and the issue of very remote relations.This third edition of the renowned Trask’s Historical Linguistics is fully revised and updated and covers the most recent developments in historical linguistics, including:More detail on morphological change including cutting-edge discussions of iconisation
Coverage of recent developments in sociolinguistic explanations of variation and change
New case studies focussing on Germanic languages and American and New Zealand English, and updated exercises covering each of the topics within the book
A brand new companion website featuring material for both professors and students, including discussion questions and exercises as well as discussions of the exercises within the book
Trask’s Historical Linguistics is essential reading for all students of language, linguistics and related disciplines.List of illustrations
To the reader
To the teacher
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
The fact of language change
Lexical and semantic change
Phonological change I: change in pronunciation
Phonological change II: change in phonological systems
Morphological change
Syntactic change
Relatedness between languages
The comparative method
Internal reconstruction
The origin and propagation of change
Social and historical pressures upon language
Language and prehistory
Appendix: the Swadesh 200-word list