The history of regional 'Englishes' in the Early Modern period still presents numerous lacunae that need to be filled, in order to provide a complete insight into the English linguistic setting at this time. This book aims to remedy these deficiencies in some measure. In particular, this monograph seeks to shed light upon the history of Early Modern Northern English vocabulary by means of the first corpus of Early Modern texts where Northern linguistic traits are used for literary purposes. It provides a linguistically documented description of Northern words from a synchronic standpoint, dealing with their distribution, etymology, as well as with some of their morphological and semantic characteristics. In addition, this study offers a discussion of the Early Modern literary representations of Northern speech. A thorough revision of the treatment that Northern lexical items are given in contemporary and modern lexicographic sources is also presented, together with a glossary that outlines the diachronic profile of the terms gathered.

The growth experienced by Corpus Linguistics over the last two decades has complicated the definition of the discipline. There is at present no consensus as to what corpus linguistics exactly is. Is it a methodology, a theoretical framework, a research paradigm? The goal of this book is multi-purpose. It provides material for a discussion of the notion of «corpus linguistics», an overt discussion of the limits of this discipline and a comparison of some of the main approaches. And at the same time it offers a collection of selected papers representative of a range of approaches and applications associated with corpus research.

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.

This book brings together a variety of approaches to English corpus linguistics and shows how corpus methodologies can contribute to the linking of diachronic and synchronic studies. The articles in this volume investigate historical changes in the English language as well as specific aspects of Middle and Modern English and, moreover, of English dialects. The contributions also discuss the development of English corpus linguistics generally and its potential in the future. Special focus is given to the continuity between Middle and Modern English – much in line with the linking in previous studies of Middle English and Old English under the generic term “medievalism”. This volume highlights the continual development of English from the medieval to modern period.

Linguistics and Literary History systematically explores the advantages of an inter-disciplinary approach within the broad area of English studies. It brings together stylistics, literary theory and diachronic linguistics in order to explore their interaction at various methodological, descriptive and interpretative levels. This unique combination makes this volume on historical stylistics an important work for international scholars and postgraduate students working on the interface between literary history and language change, both from corpus-based and qualitative perspectives. The chapters written by leading scholars in these various fields are an appropriate reference work for teaching and research purposes in the areas of stylistics, historical linguistics, English language and literature, corpus linguistics and literary history.

Ranging from the works of Shakespeare, Spenser, Jonson and Milton to those of Robert Southwell and Anna Trapnel, this groundbreaking study explores the conscious use of archaic style by the poets and dramatists between 1590 and 1674. It focuses on the wide-ranging, complex and self-conscious uses of archaic linguistic and poetic style, analysing the uses to which writers put literary style in order to re-embody and reshape the past. Munro brings together scholarly conversations on temporality, memory and historiography, on the relationships between medieval and early modern literary cultures, on the workings of dramatic and poetic style, and on national history and identity. Neither pure anachronism nor pure nostalgia, the attempts of writers to reconstruct outmoded styles within their own works reveal a largely untold story about the workings of literary influence and tradition, the interactions between past and present, and the uncertain contours of English nationhood.

A Dictionary of Varieties of English presents a comprehensive listing of the distinctive dialects and forms of English spoken throughout the contemporary world. Provides an invaluable introduction and guide to current research trends in the field Includes definitions both for the varieties of English and regions they feature, and for terms and concepts derived from a linguistic analysis of these varieties Explores important research issues including the transportation of dialects of English, the rise of ‘New Englishes’, sociolinguistic investigations of various English-speaking locales, and the study of language contact and change. Reflects our increased awareness of global forms of English, and the advances made in the study of varieties of the language in recent decades Creates an invaluable, informative resource for students and scholars alike, spanning the rich and diverse linguistic varieties of the most widely accepted language of international communication

Even before the Helsinki Corpus was published, Spain had a good amount of Historical English researchers, such as the group directed by Teresa Fanego in Santiago de Compostela. In the last couple of decades, the number of scholars working in the field of Historical Corpus Linguistics has increased, and, nowadays, there are some interesting projects in Spain that will result in the publication of valuable material for scholars throughout the world. The aim of this volume is twofold. On the on...

Terttu Nevalainen helps students to place the language of the period 1500-1700 in its historical context, whilst showing its regional and social variations. He focuses on the structure of the 'general dialect' and its spelling, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, as well as its dialectal origins.

Northern English has been the object of much attention linguistically over the last thirty years but scholars have had a tendency to focus on the phonology of the dialects and varieties encountered. The purpose of the present volume is to complement and enrich the existing studies by providing readers with a kaleidoscopic perspective, allowing for a holistic interpretation and understanding of Northern English. It includes studies not only on phonology but also on semantics, syntax and sociolinguistics from a synchronic and diachronic point of view, with a special emphasis on the process of enregisterment. The varieties covered include Scottish Standard English, Shetland and Northern Ireland as well as varieties from the North of England.