History of English

Author: Ferdinand de Saussure
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1998-05-01
Features: This book is not a historical grammar. While grammar is discussed within the book, it is only to illustrate the history of the language. Many details that generally hold a certain position in historical grammars have been intentionally set aside by me. I have placed the historical description of English in position. The influence of French on English, although few actually praise it, as a Frenchman, I have emphasized this influence, and I believe it will be understood by people. Although all stages of the history of English provide some excellent principles of general linguistics, I have intentionally not focused on these principles but let the facts speak for themselves. To be honest, the fate of the English language is truly extraordinary! It was originally a small language within the Germanic language family, with no remarkable background. In its historical process, it has almost been wiped out twice, but today it has become a global language. English is a complex language with almost no inflection (i.e., changes in word endings), yet its vocabulary is exceptionally rich. Due to these characteristics, English is a typical example of continuous development in the eyes of linguists, and thus its history is highly fascinating. This brief history, even within the narrow scope I have set for it, could not have been completed without the many inspiring works—see the bibliographies at the end of each chapter. Since I cannot acknowledge my debt to predecessors on every page, I believe it is necessary to state here: this small book, both in its overall structure and details, is indebted to the research and works of predecessors.