A History of the English Language - Book Review

Contemporary Review, Dec, 2002

A History of the English Language. Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable. Routledge. [pounds sterling]55.00. Fifth edition. 447 pages. ISBN 0-415-28098-2. This new edition replaces the fourth edition of 1993 which has had seven re-printings. This title first appeared in 1951 and was written by Albert Baugh.

This edition, which brings the story of English up to date, was prepared by Thomas Cable and includes discussions of 'gender issues' and linguistic change. The greatest alterations have been to the first and last chapters, those devoted to a general view of the subject and to changes in American English (the rise of African-American and Hispanic American vernacular English). Mr Cable has also tidied up the notes and revised the bibliography. He notes that the 1951 text was written without a slavish devotion to one or the other of the various linguistic theories that have become so fashionable. He notes that theories have their day and when their time is past, books that depend on them appear dated. The fact tha t this text has lasted so long is a testimony to this view. Therefore, rather than superimpose one of these now fashionable theories on a text that has been so successful he allows the scholarly presentation of facts uncluttered by theories to speak for itself. One wonders if other histories with greater dependence on theories will last as long? (M.H.)