This title is an exploration of the linguistic and cultural development of English, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The book provides students with a balanced and up-to-date overview of the history of the language. The fifth edition has been substantially revised and updated to keep students up to date with recent developments in the field. Revisions include: revisfirst chapter - English present and future; new section on gender issues and linguistics change; and updated material on African American vernacular English