The History of English Spelling [Hardcover]

The History of English Spelling reveals the history of Modern English spelling, tracing its origins and development from Old English up to the present day.

• Includes a wealth of information and data on English spelling not available anywhere else
• Features a complementary website with additional material at www.historyofenglishspelling.info
• Includes detailed coverage of the contributions from French, Latin, Greek - and the many other languages - to our current orthography
• Serves as a companion volume to Geoffrey Hughes's A History of English Words in the same series

List of Figures and Tables viii

Preface ix

Abbreviations and Symbols xi

Language Periods Referred to in the Text xiv

1 Introduction and Overview 1

2 England and English from the Romans to the Vikings 14

3 The Old English Roots of Modern English Spelling 33

4 The Decline and Revival of English in the Middle English Period 65

5 The Franco-Latin Element 86

6 Some Sound and Spelling Developments in Middle and Modern English 173

7 The Greek Contribution 194

8 The Exotic Input 228

9 Reformers, Lexicographers and the Parting of the Ways 293

Glossary of Technical Terms 315

Bibliography 320

Language and Dialect Index 324

Word and Word-Element Index 328

General Index 373

“Summing Up:  Highly recommended.  All readers.”  (Choice, 1 October 2012)Christopher Upward (1938-2002l%