A new edition of this comprehensive guide to the history of the English language. The book contains carefully chosen extracts to illustrate the development of English, looking particularly at the stylistic and dialectical variety of English. For the new edition Professor Burnley has expanded the introductory sections, added new selections and increased the number of illustrations. He has also included a new section covering newspaper advertisements from the 18th Century to the present. A popular guide which explores the development of English from Aelfric to Darwin.