The Handbook of Dialectology

The Handbook of Dialectology provides an authoritative, up-to-date and unusually broad account of the study of dialect, in one volume. Each chapter reviews essential research, and offers a critical discussion of the past, present and future development of the area.

When first published in 1980, Dialectology broke new ground by giving an integrated account of the social and regional aspects of dialectology. In this updated edition, the authors offer new sections on dialectometry and mapping variability, as well as updates of recent developments. The book examines dialectology in its widest sense, as the study of the way language, dialect and accent vary from place to place, social group to social group and time to time. As a comprehensive account of all aspects of dialectology this new edition makes an ideal introduction to the subject.