The publication in the past ten years of linguistic atlases of England and Scotland has not only advanced our knowledge of the lexical and morphological variety inherent in the English language, but has made it possible to establish a number of methodological principles for the study of language both in its contemporary distribution and in its historical evolution. The essays in this volume, by contributors to the linguistic atlases and other dialectologists, describe some of the problems that bedevil the study of dialect and the methodological solutions employed to minimise them. They also survey the contributions that linguistic cartography can make to the study of English and of language in general. The considerations it embodies are of major importance for the student of language and, in addition, the book is an invaluable companion to the Atlases.

Product Description: The maps presented in this volume, first published in 1987, are based on the material of the Survey of English Dialects which was collected from over 300 localities between 1948 and 1961. The 200 word and sound maps included in this title will lead the reader into the fascinating world of the dialects of the different regions of England...read more