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Letter writing and language change / edited by Anita Auer, Daniel Schreier, Richard J. Watts.
Format
Book
Language
English
Published/Created
Cambridge, United Kingdom : Cambridge University Press, 2015.
Description
xiii, 336 pages : illustrations ; 27 cm.
Availability
Copies in the Library
Location
Call Number
Status
Location Service
Notes
Firestone Library - Stacks
PE1483 .L46 2015
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Details
Subject(s)
Letter writing
—
Social aspects
—
English-speaking countries
[Browse]
Written communication
—
Social aspects
—
English-speaking countries
[Browse]
English language
—
Variation
[Browse]
English letters
—
History and criticism
[Browse]
Editor
Auer, Anita, 1975-
[Browse]
Schreier, Daniel, 1971-
[Browse]
Watts, Richard J.
[Browse]
Series
Studies in English language
[More in this series]
Summary note
"Letter Writing and Language Change outlines the historical sociolinguistic value of letter analysis, both in theory and practice. The chapters in this volume make use of insights from all three 'Waves of Variation Studies', and many of them, either implicitly or explicitly, look at specific aspects of the language of the letter writers in an effort to discover how those writers position themselves and how they attempt, consciously or unconsciously, to construct social identities. The letters are largely from people in the lower strata of social structure, either to addressees of the same social status or of a higher status. In this sense the question of the use of 'standard' and/or 'nonstandard' varieties of English is in the forefront of the contributors' interest. Ultimately, the studies challenge the assumption that there is only one 'legitimate' and homogenous form of English or of any other language"-- Provided by publisher.
"Unlike formal writing, informal writing is much closer to spoken language, so studying letters from the past provides us with clues to the development of nonstandard varieties of English. Led by a team of experts, this book draws on a range of informal letter corpora and outlines the historical sociolinguistic value of letter analysis, both in theory and practice. By looking at specific aspects of the language used by writers, this book aims to discover how they positioned themselves in society and how they attempted, consciously or unconsciously, to construct social identities. This study challenges the assumption that there is only one 'legitimate' and homogenous form of English or of any other language. It questions 'standard' language ideologies and highlights the importance of non-standard vernacular forms. A valuable addition to the field, this book will be welcomed by sociolinguists, historical linguists and social historians"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliographic references
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Contents
1. Setting the scene : letters, standards and historical sociolinguistics / Richard J. Watts
2. Assessing variability and change in early English letters / Juan Manuel Hernández-Campoy and Juan Camilo Conde-Silvestre
3. Private letters as a source for an alternative history of Middle New High German / Stephan Elspa[beta]
4. Language in print and handwriting / Tony Fairman
5. Heterogeneity vs. homogeneity / Marianne Hundt
6. Emerging standards in the colonies : variation and the Canadian letter writer / Stefan Dollinger
7. Linguistic fingerprints of authors and scribes / Alexander Bergs
8. Stylistic variation / Anita Auer
9. English aristocratic letters / Susan Fitzmaurice
10. Early nineteenth-century pauper letters / Mikko Laitinen
11. A non-standard standard? Exploring the evidence from nineteenth-century vernacular letters and diaries / Barbara Allen
12. Archaism and dialect in Irish emigrant letters / Lukas Pietsch
13. Assessing heterogeneity / Lucia Siebers
14. Hypercorrection and the persistence of local dialect features in writing / Daniel Schreier
15. Epilogue : where next? / Anita Auer, Daniel Schreier and Richard J. Watts.
Show 12 more Contents items
ISBN
9781107018648 ((hardcover))
1107018641 ((hardcover))
LCCN
2014007607
OCLC
873724172
International Article Number
9781107018648
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Princeton University Library aims to describe library materials in a manner that is respectful to the individuals and communities who create, use, and are represented in the collections we manage.
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