Background Survey

Abstract

In this chapter I survey the results of major changes in English (for in individual chapters the overall effect of the changes may be lost sight of in the discussion of links in a longer chain), in order to detail some of the influences which may have promoted change and to consider how the advent of modern linguistic approaches has affected the way in which we have reappraised language change, with especial reference to English. I should perhaps stress at this point that although this book is informed by the methodology and theories associated with modern linguistics, readers are not assumed to be familiar with linguistics and a glossary at the end of the book provides an overall list with explanations of the linguistic and other technical terms used.