Principles of Linguistic Change, Volume 1

Internal Factors

Labov, William

Language in Society (Series Nr. 20)

1. Edition May 1994
664 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd

ISBN: 978-0-631-17914-6

John Wiley & Sons

This book develops the general principles of linguistic change that
form the foundations of historical linguistics, dialectology and
sociolinguistics.

* Demonstrates the social as well as cognitive relevance of
linguistic research

* Shows that rapid linguistic change is in progress in the cities
of America and England so that urban dialects are becoming more and
more differentiated

* Discusses factors that govern the internal development of
linguistic structures: the mechanisms of change, the constraints on
change, and the ways in which change is embedded in the larger
linguistic system

Editor's Preface.

Notational Conventions.

Acknowledgements.

Introduction: The Plan of the Work as a Whole.

Part I: Introduction and Methodology.

Part II: Chain Shifting.

Part III: Mergers and Splits.

Part IV: The Regularity Controversy.

Part V: The Functional Character of Change.

References.

Index.

"This volume represents the remarkable achievements of one of the leading linguistics of the twentieth century. Almost uniquely... Labov has demonstrated the social as well as cognitive relevance of linguistic research." Elizabeth C. Traugott and Scott A. Schwenter, Stanford University

William Labov is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania.

W. Labov, University of Pennsylvania, USA