English Words - History And Structure

English Words: History and Structure is concerned primarily with the learned vocabulary of English, the words borrowed from the classical languages and French. It initially surveys the historical events that define the layers of vocabulary in Old English (c. 450-1066), Middle English (1066-1476), Early Modern English (1476-1776), and Present-Day English. It is both an introduction to some of the basic principles of linguistic analysis and a helpful manual for vocabulary discernment and enrichment. Exercises to accompany each chapter and further readings on recent loans and the legal and medical vocabulary of English are available on-line at http://uk.cambridge.org/linguistics/resources/englishwords/. Introduces students to some basic linguistic terms needed for the discussion of phonological and morphological changes accompanying word formation. Designed to lead students to a finer appreciation of their language and greater ability to recognise relationships between words and discriminate between meanings. An informative appendix discusses the history and usefulness of the best-known British and American dictionaries. On-line readings and exercises designed to deepen and strengthen the knowledge acquired in the classroom.