The English Language A Historical Introduction – Charles Barber

The English Language: A Historical Introduction is a very widely used introductory textbook for students of the English language and for students of linguistics and social studies. The book traces the history of the English language from its remote Indo-European origins to the present day, introducing the main theoretical and technical concepts of historical linguistics, and taking into account recent work in sociolinguistics and historical linguistics generally. Chapters on the nature of language and on language change are followed by a chronological survey. Topics include vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, semantics, dialect, attitudes to language and English as a world language.
The English Language (Old And Rare) – Charles Barber