English Dialects From the Eighth Century to the Present Day

A chronological survey traces the evolution of English regional varieties from the eighth century to the present, arguing that large, relatively uniform early dialects gradually fragmented into many local subdialects. It examines principal medieval varieties — Northumbrian (Anglian), Wessex (Southern), Mercian (Midland) and Kentish — and follows the literary and social shifts that elevated the East Midland form toward modern standard speech. Chapters treat phonetic decay and dialectic regeneration, catalogue foreign borrowings from Scandinavian, French, Celtic and classical languages, and provide manuscript excerpts and facsimile transcriptions. The volume concludes with modern dialect specimens, bibliographic guidance, and discussion of dialect documentation and scholarly resources.