Evolving English: One Language, Many Voices. An Illustrated History of the English Language

Abstract

The great biologist Dobzhansky (1973) wrote an essay titled, ‘Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution’. This is as true of language as it is of any other biological phenomenon, and the English language exemplifies the fact. By examining where English has been and how it got to where it is today, we can better understand and appreciate it, and perhaps imagine its future directions. And by ‘it’ I mean ‘they’, because the story of English is more truthfully the stories of Englishes, as we will see. The history and evolution of English in all its diversity is the subject of David Crystal's edifying new book, Evolving English: One Language, Many Voices, published by the British Library in conjunction with its acclaimed exhibition of the same name. Crystal is a highly regarded author of over a 100 books and is no stranger to anyone keenly interested in language, linguistics, and the history of English. Combining a hobbyist's enthusiasm with an academic's erudition, he has a knack for writing in a down-to-earth style that appeals to a wide audience regardless of how familiar they are with the subject matter.