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Book Cover
E-book
Author Clark, Urszula, author

Title West Midlands English : Birmingham and the Black Country / Urszula Clark and Esther Asprey
Published Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, [2013]
©2013

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Description 1 online resource (ix, 170 pages) : illustrations, maps
Series Dialects of English
Dialects of English.
Contents 1. Geography, demography, culture and research design -- 2. Phonetics and phonology -- 3. Grammar -- 4. Lexis -- 5. Survey of previous works and bibliography -- 6. Annotated texts
Summary This volume focuses on the closely allied yet differing linguistic varieties of Birmingham and its immediate neighbour to the west, the industrial heartland of the Black Country. Both of these areas rose to economic prominence and success during the Industrial Revolution, and both have suffered economically and socially as a result of post-war industrial decline. The industrial heritage of both areas has meant that tight knit and socially homogeneous individual areas in each region have demonstrated in many respects little linguistic change over time, and have continued to exhibit linguistic features, especially morphological constructions, peculiar to these areas or now restricted to these areas. At the same time, immigration from other areas of the British Isles over time, from Commonwealth countries and later from EU member states, together with increased social mobility, have meant that newly developing structures and more widespread UK linguistic phenomena have spread into these varieties. This volume provides a clear description of the structure of the linguistic varieties spoken in the two areas. Following the structure of the Dialects of English volumes, it provides: A comprehensive overview of the phonological, grammatical and lexical structure of both varieties, as well as similarities between the two varieties and distinguishing features Thorough discussion of the historical and social factors behind the development of the varieties and the stigma attached to these varieties Discussion of the unusual situation of the Black Country as an area undefined in geographical and administrative terms, existing only in the imagination Examples of the variety from native speakers of differing ethnicities, ages and genders An annotated bibliography for further consultation
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes English
Print version record
Subject English language -- Dialects -- England -- Birmingham
English language -- Dialects -- England -- Black Country
LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES -- Linguistics -- General.
LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES -- General.
English language -- Dialects
England -- Birmingham
England -- Black Country
Form Electronic book
Author Asprey, Esther, author
ISBN 9780748685806
0748685804
9780748693900
0748693904
0748685820
9780748685820
1322981434
9781322981437
Other Titles Birmingham and the Black Country