The Origins and Development of the English Language

by John Algeo, Thomas Pyles

Updated to reflect current research and rewritten to further enhance the clarity of presentation, the fifth edition of this best-seller continues to take a linguistic-analysis approach as well and focus on the facts of language rather than theoretical approaches.

Genres: Language, History, Nonfiction, Linguistics, Reference, School, Textbooks

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

Reviews

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Research material. Very well illustrated, clear examples, clean lines, easy to read and follow. Perhaps the most readable and useful among the many you can find on this matter.

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is an occasional meme going around about how so many things we refer to have lost all mooring from any possible meaning. Who today knows how black pitch is, or has personally heard a broken record?

But this is simply the story of language. If you write with a pen you are figuratively writing with a feather only because our ancestors once did so literally: The word comes from the Latin penna, that is, a feather.

If you are interested specifically in how words are extended or refined to cover new concepts, you could start with the later chapter, Words and Meanings, but don’t miss out on the fascinating history of not just the English language but of attempts to define it back into the beginnings of writing, which, Heisenberg-style, also change the language. The authors do not hide their disdain for those who try to define the indefinable or freeze the unfrozeable.

The authors make the book, which is dense with information, a fun read. It is written with a very subtle humor hidden among the masses of cultural changes that made English what it is today. There’s even a surprise finish, which I’ll not spoil here.

If you have read Stanislaw Lem’s The Futurological Congress and wondered at his magical science of predicting the future from likely word changes, this is how it could be done. If you have some new thing and you want to build a name for it that will last, those last few chapters are invaluable.

“It is a great pity that language cannot be the exact, finely attuned instrument that deep thinkers wish it to be… But it is probably quite safe to predict that the members of the human race, homines sapientes more or less, will go on making absurd noises with their mouths at one another in what idealists among them will go on considering a deplorably sloppy and inadequate manner, and yet manage to understand one another well enough for their own purposes.”

[Olivia Ro]

Their wording is often poorly written and confusing. They don't use the IPA in their consonant phoneme chart. They have aspirated voiced stops, and a voiced bilabial fricative as a sound in English. They tried to say a /g/ was a nasal on page 48. Also they decided to use "colonel" as their example for an alveolar rhotic and "juan" for a /w/ and "llama" for /j/. All of these are supposed to be spellings of English sounds. Just thought that was cringe.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say that this book served me well as a summary of sorts for my so far taken linguistic classes at university. Though, the most interesting experience with that book for me was the connection of the language/linguistics with history by both the chronological structure of that book and also the given key dates and facts to each period.

The actual grammar part, however, I found a little confusing as it used a different case order than I am accustomed to. Hence me taking the grammar from other books and notes I took during my classes.

All in all, I'd recommend this book to everyone wanting to learn more about the history of the English language and how it came to be the language we write and speak today. It's a relatively easy read and for everything being covered in one book should also be an easy stepping stone for new learners.

[Jack Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a text book. Just over 300 pages (exclusive of Bibligraphy, Glossary, Index, etc.) As a text book, I thought it is very good. Compacts a lot of information about the English language into not that many pages. Would be very useful for a college course. I have a number of books on the English language that I have enjoyed better for casual and even not so casual reading.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful for my "Cambio y Variación de la Lengua Inglesa II" subject. Easy to read and understand taking into account that is a book to support students in their preparation of the historical linguistic knowledge.

[Danny Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but still a textbook. Had to read this one for class, so it wasn’t exactly my choice. That being said, it was still very informative (even for someone with little knowledge of phonology).

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great textbook. Algeo has a really funny sense of humor. Some of the IPA is hard to follow, though.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense but informative

[Sara Buchanan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book made me sob multiple times

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent for its presentation, like most good textbooks...of clear examples. And let me tell you, this textbook has all of the relevant examples you'll need to keep you interested in my view.

As a reference book, it also has quick, helpful tools/tables/glossary... In addition, I think its reasoned explanation of how language changes from a linguistic standpoint can provide one, very clear constructive side of the story that can be a leaping off point for discussions about the more chaotic and undocumented/undocumentable mysteries of the origins and development of English.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thorough (as in for those very interested in delving into great detail) history of the English language (starting from the beginning! I wouldn't recommend this book to the average person who just wants to know a little bit about the history of the English language (there are easier, less academically dense texts for that). It provides detailed explanations of how language evolved and influences that shaped the language. Perfect for my Linguistics students.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this as a textbook for Historical Linguistics, and usually I never think of textbooks as books. However, after returning it for the umpteenth time, I realized how much I cherish it as a reference as well as to satiate any clamoring for phonetics, Chaucer, and linguistic trends, so it's earned a spot here on the ol' 'Reads list.

[Kathleen McGloin]

Even though this is a textbook I will keep it in my library forever. It has some incredibly interesting information on the etymology of Modern English words, as well as a detailed history of English and the other Germanic languages and the differences between Germanic and other Indo-European languages.

[Sky]

Only read assigned readings/chapters in the book. Class was a little drawing, but it was interesting to learn about the English language's deep and rich history. Helped me able to find the right history setting for one of my own books that I plan to work on soon, as well as assured me I am using the proper languages for it's regions and time setting. Good text.

[hh · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for my history & structure of the english language class. somewhat technical and highly informative. not a book to pick up casually. but if you want to teach yourself about the english language, it's great stuff.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Algeo tried hard to make a short comprehensive guide to an intensely broad subject matter- the history of the English language. It had some very dry and complicated sections on grammar in various periods of English, but also some amusing attitude towards the end. Overall it was really helpful.

[Lizzie Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is by far the most interesting textbook I ever read during my undergrad. I loved it so much that I kept it and pull it off the shelf every so often to read though a chapter or two. If you're interested in linguistics, you should absolutely own this book.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a textbook for my History of English class. Linguists rock! Woo!

[Gofita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the parts of this textbook were a bit heady, but overall it was pretty straightforward and very interesting. We even had to solve language problems, which I actually found fun and intriguing.

[Dani O. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very helpful in Etymology and Understanding development of Modern English

[CC]

Very interesting!

[Bill]

Textbook for an interesting college class - the parts detailing the Great Vowel Shift and the old English of Chaucer I remember were very interesting and fun.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used this book for my History of the English Language class. It's very in-depth and the accompanying workbook helps solidify the concepts.

[Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative,but confusing at the same time. I wouldn't advise using this as your only resource when studying the history of the English language.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This class was the History of the English Language. Classmates used to tell each other, see you in HEL.

[Maja]

diachronical view of the English language. sometimes hard to follow the writing style, kind of boring.

[sch]

Linguistics class postponed.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was like reading a text book, yes it had some interesting parts to it but it was still like reading a textbook.

[Angie Diasanaangie]

I think this book could greatly cater the assigned topic intended for my report. Please allow me to open this page, thank you so much!