Handbook Of Historical Sociolinguistics

The Handbook of Historical Sociolinguistics features 35 newly-written essays that explore how sociolinguistic theoretical models, methods, findings, and expertise can be applied to the process of reconstruction of a language's past in order to account for diachronic linguistic changes and developments. “In this respect, the Handbook represents both an excellent summary of the state of the art in historical sociolinguistics and a good starting point for further research.” (Linguistlist, 1 April 2013) Great strides have been made in recent years in our understanding of the relationship between language and society when we introduce a consideration of its historical dimension. The Handbook of Historical Sociolinguistics reflects our current state of knowledge in this rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field of study. The collection represents an up-to-date, in-depth exploration of the extent to which sociolinguistic theoretical models, methods, findings, and expertise can be applied to the process of reconstructing a language's past in order to account for diachronic linguistic changes and developments. Organized into five distinct sections, essays address various topics in origins and theoretical assumptions; methods for the sociolinguistic study of the history of languages; linguistic and extra-linguistic variables; historical dialectology, language contact and diffusion; and attitudes to language. Written by an international team of leading scholars, this groundbreaking collection of readings provides an important contribution to linguistic theory that reflects current knowledge of the nature of language change and diffusion while paving the way for future research. Written by an international team of leading scholars, this groundbreaking reference work explores the nature of language change and diffusion, and paves the way for future research in this rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field. Features 35 newly-written essays from internationally acclaimed experts that reflect the growth and vitality of the burgeoning area of historical sociolinguistics Examines how sociolinguistic theoretical models, methods, findings, and expertise can be used to reconstruct a language's past in order to explain linguistic changes and developments Bridges the gap between the past and the present in linguistic studies Structured thematically into sections exploring: origins and theoretical assumptions; methods for the sociolinguistic study of the history of languages; linguistic and extra-linguistic variables; historical dialectology, language contact and diffusion; and attitudes to language