Includes bibliographical references and index

Preface - Table of Abbreviations - What is a History of English? -Background Survey - Before Alfred - The First English Standard - The Aftermath of the First Standard - Interregnum: Fragmentation and Regrouping - Political, Social and Pedagogical Background to the New Standard - Language Change from 1400 to 1660 - Establishing the Standard within Social Norms - Emancipation, Education and Empire - World Domination and Growing Variation - Appendix: Technical Terms and Phonetic Symbols - Suggested Further Reading - Index

This introduction to the English language cuts away traditional divisions into old, middle and modern English to chart the evolution of standard English. It covers historical background, changes in phonology, vocabulary and syntax, and analyzes individual texts of English from various periods.