34.962, Review: Historical Linguistics, English, General Linguistics: Hejná, Walkden (2022)

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Subject: 34.962, Review: Historical Linguistics, English, General Linguistics: Hejná, Walkden (2022)

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Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2023 22:55:54
From: Portia Opare [opare at uni-bremen.de]
Subject: A history of English

 
Discuss this message:
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Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/33/33-2445.html

AUTHOR: Míša  Hejná
AUTHOR: George  Walkden
TITLE: A history of English
SERIES TITLE: Textbooks in Language Sciences
PUBLISHER: Language Science Press
YEAR: 2022

REVIEWER: Portia Dede Opare

SUMMARY 
Míša Hejná and George Walkden’s “A history of English” is an introductory
textbook which focuses primarily on linguistic change and variation in the
English Language across history. The book spans the prehistory of English,
i.e., before 600CE, to English as we know it in the present-day
(1945-present.) In eight engaging chapters, “A history of English” not only
addresses how English has changed over time, but also across different
linguistic levels – phonetically, phonologically, morphologically,
syntactically, lexically, semantically, and pragmatically. The book is
intended to be a guide for university students embarking on a single
semester’s coursework on the history of the English language. Besides the
book’s primary audience, it caters to the needs of teachers as well.  
The book addresses several key linguistic issues. Prominent among them are
variation, homogeneity and heterogeneity, prescriptivism, standardization,
transitions, linguistic contact, and multilingualism. Central among these key
themes is linguistic variation and its omnipresence. Variation, the book
argues, is omnipresent, inevitable, and perfectly normal. Starting from this
premise, the book defends the relevance of studying linguistic variation and
the implication such studies have for future scholarship and, importantly, on
social relations. 
As a textbook to assist students with their coursework, “A history of English”
is an excellent store of learning resources. First, there are suggested
exercises at the end of each chapter. Accompanying these exercises is an
answer key. The key is useful in saving students from the helplessness of not
knowing the right answers to exercises. Further, the exercises contained in
the book are interactive, practical, informative, and, more importantly, fun.
Many of the exercises make references to pop culture, invite readers to
unravel riddles, and to engage with topics they already find interesting.
Additionally, the exercises are not limited to written forms only; there are
opportunities for learners to conduct research, test hypotheses, gather
information, lead presentations, and use various online databases. Secondly,
the book has a detailed glossary of linguistic terms designed to help ease the
learning of students. Another store of useful resources is in the form of
recommended readings, sample texts, and suggested projects. Many of the book’s
resources break from the tedium of text, incorporating sources like online
databases, library sources, videos, public lectures, websites, films, radio,
public speeches, social media, YouTube, podcasts, and online search engines
like Google N-grams. 
Like any book that seeks to be relevant, “A history of English” engages
extensively with the social aspects of language. Using Willaim Labov’s
theorizing about language and society as a springboard, the book assumes that
learners can reach a meaningful understanding of the nature and function of
language if they pay attention to the interface of language and society. We
are social beings who live in a fast-paced global world. Community and social
understanding are increasingly essential for our flourishing. Thus, the book’s
engagement with the social life of language shifts the focus from a mere
reiteration of linguistic facts, forms, and structures, and presents students
with an opportunity to appreciate how language has intersected with social
structures and social relationships throughout history.
A copy of Míša Hejná and George Walkden’s “A history of English” is available
for free online from the open library, accessible at https://www.oapen.org.

EVALUATION
“A history of English” does not exist in an intellectual vacuum; much landmark
literature has enriched the field of Language Variation and Change. Aware of
this heritage, Hejná and Walkden situate their book within the relevant
literary and historical context. Thus, every chapter of the book is replete
with further readings, pointing readers to themes and areas that the book
merely broaches. “A history of English” shares similarities with, as well as
observable differences from, landmark works published in the field in the 20th
and 21st centuries. Like Lynda Mugglestone’s “The Oxford history of English”
(2006), “A history of English” holds the view that a single, all-encompassing
history of any historical phenomenon is an illusion. The history of English,
the book suggests, is therefore not the unanimous account of a single
narrator. As such, the book makes room for diverse perspectives in the
historical account of how the English language has changed. 
In light of the above, Hejná and Walkden agree that their book is just an
account of “a history” of English, rather than “the history” of English. The
book is aware of the many-voiced past (Mugglestone 2006) of English’s history
and recognizes that many other pathways could be navigated through the past –
and present– of the English language. Consequently, it adopts a modest and
inclusive approach in its account of the changes that have taken place in
English. In “A history of English”, readers will find Shakespearean and
Chaucerian texts sitting side-by-side with texts written by heretics (an
example is on page 171), texts written in regional and dialectal varieties,
texts written by renowned as well as obscure female writers, among several
other diverse texts. Hejná and Walkden, thus, emphasize the diversity of the
many speakers from around the globe who lay claim to English. 
The heterogeneity of the English language is another similarity “A history of
English” shares with Mugglestone’s “The Oxford history of English.” Hejná and
Walkden depart from the notion of English as one unbroken chord held together
by the standard (British) variety of English. Instead, their book explores the
English language through the theme of homogeneity as well as heterogeneity.
Throughout, the book addresses regional and dialectal varieties from many
parts of the globe across time. Essentially, the book is more global in
outlook, employing a more inclusive reach in its selection of textual
material. “A history of English” departs from the usual preoccupation with the
standard (British) variety. Consequently, it is not eager to dismiss any
variety of English. Instead, it explores diverse varieties of English and is
therefore descriptivist in its approach, presenting language as it is, not as
anyone would want or prescribe it to be. 
Hejná and Walkden’s book, though similar in many ways to landmark books on the
history of English, differs to a certain extent, especially in its
organizational structure. Many books, including the “Oxford history of
English” as well as the first three volumes of the six-volume “The Cambridge
history of the English Language” (1992–2001), are chronologically structured.
The chapters begin with the prehistory of English and work their way to the
current era. Other books, like the last three volumes of “The Cambridge
history of the English Language”, are geographically/regionally structured,
thus tracing the spread of English from the British Isles to other parts of
the globe. “A history of English” goes against this grain and adopts the
reverse approach, beginning with present-day English in Chapter 2 and working
its way to the prehistory of English in the penultimate chapter.
 On their introductory page, the authors outline compelling reasons for this
particular organizational structure. The most persuasive of these is the
conviction that students would have a better grasp of how English has changed
if they began from the familiar vantage point of present-day variation. With
that in mind, Chapter 2 takes up a discussion of present-day English, wrapping
up with the pre-history of English in Chapter 7. 
It is indeed true that many students are more familiar with present-day
variations than they are with, say, the variation in “Beowulf.” Thus, they are
more comfortable gazing into the prehistory of English from the firm ground of
present-day English. Examples from the present serve as a guidepost to explain
the past. As such, Hejná and Walkden are not misguided in the structure they
adopt. Their structure has an added advantage: moving from present-day English
to the past slowly but confidently immerses students into the book as the
discussion plunges “deeper into the history of the language” (Hejná and
Walkden 2022, p. 211)  And so, by starting from the present-day, the book
avoids the pitfall of inundating readers with extraneous historical facts
before they develop a sustained interest in the book. Besides, what better way
is there to spark an interest in future research than by introducing students
– from the very start – to relatable and invigorating concepts like “Uptalk”
and “vocal fry”? It would have been quite regrettable to open these pathways
at the closing chapter when readers might either be too bored or too
overwhelmed by historical accounts and complex linguistic phenomena to care.  
An unconventional organizational structure is not the only merit of  “A
history of English.” A prominent hallmark that works to the book’s advantage
is its convincing conversational style. Adopting stylistic devices such as
direct address, rhetorical questions, relatable examples, comedic repetitions,
hilarity, and authorial testimonials, the book earns the trust of its
audience, making them buy into the promise of a worthwhile journey through the
exploration of the history of English. If readers forget everything they read,
it is unlikely they will forget the many colourful and creative ways the word
‘bumblebee’ was used in the book! The repetition of ‘bumblebee’ was not, one
presumes, for merely comedic effect. It rather serves a useful end as its
predictable pattern aids comprehension by putting readers at ease. It is worth
noting that the book does not employ humour frivolously. Rather, it is a tool
adopted to make a point, and to make it succinctly. On page 161, for example,
the humorous example of Sir John Clarke getting caught in his own
prescriptivist trap is an excellent way to make a point about the pitfalls of
obsessive prescriptivism.
Apart from its conversational style, “A history of English” is tremendously
relatable. Its relatability is furthered by catchy subtitles that feature
puns, relatable refrains, and references to pop culture. Additionally, when
authors insert themselves into their work, referring to themselves by their
first names, and sharing their own anxieties with language use, they come very
close to earning the trust of readers. The book garners even more trust by
urging students on to further research in the field of Linguistic Variation
and Change. Like a good mentor , the book suggests useful recommended
readings, often giving reasons for their suitability and pointing to the most
active research areas within the field.
“A history of English” is incredibly readable. Its introductory page clearly
outlines the book’s purpose and scope. With the book’s signature humour, key
concepts and issues are reiterated again and again, helping students remember
what needs to be remembered. Being a stand-alone textbook, the book is
intentional in operationalizing its definitions and in delimiting its scope.
It provides sufficient information to pique the interest of readers without
inundating them with extraneous information. Instead, it points readers to
other literature for further readings. Moreover, the book incorporates
multimodal forms like images, indexes, pointers, infographics, and colourful
diagrams which altogether make for an engaging read. 
All in all, all is well and good with “A history of English” – almost all, if
one succeeds in ignoring the apparent grudge the book holds against
prescriptivism. Prescriptivism involves the laying down of rules and the
setting of limits on how English is used. Associated with prescriptivism are
notions of linguistic purism, ethnonationalism, prohibition about who uses
English and how they use it, prejudice against non-native varieties of
English, and a belief that variation in English signifies linguistic decay. If
prescriptivism is nothing other than gatekeeping and prejudice against
non-standard as well as non-native varieties of English, then it is a canker,
and “A history of English” is justified to treat it as such. But could it be
possible that prescriptivism – that natural human tendency to delimit so that
we can make sense of things – transcends linguistic gatekeeping,
discrimination, and stuffiness? Could linguistic decay be a real thing, and
are prescriptivists tyrants for caring about proper grammar and careful
speech? Again, let us say that prescriptivists are wrong about most things,
but are they wrong overall in the concerns they raise about linguistic decay?
Is there not a cause at all to care about how we speak, how language affects
thought and how thought affects language? If humans cannot make rules about
language, how do we preserve the pure delight that comes from spotting (and
using) linguistic deviations in poetry, proverbs, and quaint dialects?
It is true that “A history of English” makes a convincing argument for
prescriptivism’s “toxicity” – even if “toxic” – the word the book uses on page
126 – is a tad too extreme. The argument draws on the changing wheels of the
English language, making the case that “one thing that does remain constant as
we travel through the historical stages of English is the fact that all the
linguistic levels will and do undergo changes of some sort. Change is
inevitable, whatever we may think of it as speakers…. the English language has
never stood alone, and it has never been the province of only monolinguals,
despite what nationalistic one nation, one language rhetoric would have us
believe” (Hejná & Walkden 2022, pp. 355-356) Also, the book at last makes one
of the few concessions to prescriptivism – “it seems very usual for human
beings to comment on language, and to be anxious about language and its
change.” This argument and concession are convincing, of course. But they come
so curiously late in the organizational structure of the book that one wonders
if the book has not succeeded in communicating a lack of nuance in its posture
toward prescriptivism. 
It is worth noting that the book’s apparent grudge with prescriptivism is
often good-natured, but, in many places, there is an implicit assumption of
prescriptivism’s toxicity. Who knows what the book could have unearthed had it
adopted a more nuanced approach to prescriptivism, even to its claim of
linguistic decay. Perhaps, the book could have borrowed a page from Jean
Aitchison’s “Language change: Progress or Decay?” by steering clear of almost
implying that prescriptivists are “merely ludicrous, akin to fools who think
it possible to halt the ebbs and flow of language change” (Aitchison 2001). “A
history of English” could have inquired if intelligent prescriptivists – for
they cannot all be stuffy old dunces – are possibly right to some extent,
whether it is indeed possible, as Orwell argued, that language change can be
affected by a lack of care and maintenance on the part of speakers. 
Lastly, one cannot help but wonder if there are no significant pitfalls to
Linguistic Reconstruction, which is the methodology “A history of English”
adopts in Chapter 7 for constructing the prehistory of English. Why, for one
thing, should readers take the book’s version of events as more reliable than
that of Bede and the Old English Chronicle? Are religious monks any more prone
to bias than other sources, and is there significant evidence of the alleged
bias? In talking about unreliable sources of history, the book invites readers
to participate in a thought experiment of considering the credibility of a
“future historian’s view of the 21st century if they had to rely solely on
Donald Trump’s feed, or the manifesto of your least favourite political party”
(Hejná and Walkden 2022, p. 310.) It would be a fair question to ask if Bede –
a noted scholar of his time – could be justifiably compared to Donald Trump or
one’s least favourite political party. It seems that such a comparison is not
only lacking in equivalence but may be merely predicated on the religious
persuasions of Bede and Gildas. Certainly, neither Bede nor Gildas should be
taken at face value, but the reason for caution should go deeper than their
religion. Further, care should be taken in comparing them to individuals who
have been largely perceived to be lacking in credibility. 
“A history of English” sets out on a journey to introduce university students
to language change and variation in English from the language’s prehistory to
the present-day. Addressing themes of variation, homogeneity and
heterogeneity, standardization, transitions, linguistic contact and
multilingualism, the book succeeds in delivering on the interesting ride it
promises. Incredibly relatable and practical in its resourcefulness, the book
is a valuable guide to all who seek an interactive and useful textbook on how
English has changed, and is changing, through time.

REFERENCES
Aitchison, Jean. Language change: Progress or decay? Cambridge University
Press, 2001. 
Burchfield, Robert William, ed. The Cambridge History of the English Language:
Volume 5: English in Britain and Overseas: Origins and Development. Cambridge
University Press, 1994.
Hejná, Míša & Walkden, George. A history of English. Language Science Press,
2022.
Mugglestone, Lynda, ed. The Oxford History of English. OUP Oxford, 2006.
Orwell, George. Politics and the English language and other essays. Epubli,
2021.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Portia Dede Opare is a second-year MA student at the Universität Bremen,
Germany, studying English-Speaking Cultures. She is currently working on
semantic choices and its intersection with narratology and postcolonial
literatures. She has a keen interest in semantics, postcolonial fiction, as
well as poetry.





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