This book, first published in 1984, presents a series of analysis of colloquial spoken language, to illustrate some of the variety of phonological features of British English. These studies provide significant insights into linguistic varieties and their inter-relationship as a phonological system and into social differentiation as reflected in linguistic variety. The main part of the book is devoted to a presentation, in transcription, of the speech of informants from a number of localities and a discussion of the main phonological features exemplified thereby. An attempt was made to induce natural conversation rather than use direct question-and-answer techniques. Although the book cannot provide a comprehensive survey of the infinite variety of spoken British English, the material does come from a wide age range, both sexes, diverse geographical areas, and both urban and rural communities. It represents a major in-depth analysis that will interest phonologists and workers and students of sociolinguistics.

This book, first published in 1984, presents a series of analysis of colloquial spoken language, to illustrate some of the variety of phonological features of British English. These studies provide significant insights into linguistic varieties and their inter-relationship as a phonological system and into social differentiation as reflected in linguistic variety. The main part of the book is devoted to a presentation, in transcription, of the speech of informants from a number of localities and a discussion of the main phonological features exemplified thereby. An attempt was made to induce natural conversation rather than use direct question-and-answer techniques. Although the book cannot provide a comprehensive survey of the infinite variety of spoken British English, the material does come from a wide age range, both sexes, diverse geographical areas, and both urban and rural communities. It represents a major in-depth analysis that will interest phonologists and workers and students of sociolinguistics.

Studies of the very earliest form of language which can be called English, and its later influence. East Anglia - the easternmost area of England - was probably home to the first-ever form of language which can be called English. East Anglian English has had a very considerable input into the formation of Standard English, and contributed importantly to the development of American English and (to a lesser extent) Southern Hemisphere Englishes; it has also experienced multilingualism on a remarkable scale. However, it has received little attention from linguistic scholars over the years, and this volume provides an overdue assessment. The articles, by leading scholars in the field, cover all aspects of the English of East Anglia from its beginnings to the present day; topics include place names, non-standard grammar, dialect phonology, dialect contact, language contact, and a host of other issues of descriptive, theoretical, historical and sociolinguistic interest and importance. Professor JACEK FISIAKteaches in the Department of English at the Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland; Professor PETER TRUDGILL is Chair of English Linguistics at the University of Fribourg. Contributors: PETER TRUDGILL, JACEK FISIAK, KARL INGE SANDRED, GILLIS KRISTENSSON, LAURA WRIGHT, CLAIRE JONES, TERTU NEVALAINEN, HELENA RAUMOLIN-BRUNBERG, KEN LODGE, DAVID BRITAIN, PATRICIA POUSSA