Writing a War of Words - Andrew Clark and the Search for Meaning in World War One

Writing a War of Words is the first investigation of a valuable archive of war-time notebooks documenting changes to the English language on the Home Front. Using unconventional sources, it explores the effect of war on the language of ordinary people, and reflects on the role of language as an interdisciplinary lens on history.

List of contents

• Preface: Writing a War of Words


• 1: Word-hoard: From History to Historical Principles


• 2: Reading into Words


• 3: 'Doing One's Bit': From Voluntary Endeavour to Conscription


• 4: The Langscape of War


• 5: Border Crossings


• 6: English in a Time of Total War


• 7: Writing the Woman's Part


• 8: Written on the Body


• 9: Last Words

About the author

Lynda Mugglestone is Professor of the History of English at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Pembroke College. Her research explores language history, language change and attitudes, and lexicography from the eighteenth century onwards, as well as on the history of pronunciation and its social and cultural framing. She is the author of the OUP volumes Talking Proper: The Rise of Accent as Social Symbol (2nd ed., 2007), Dictionaries: A Very Short Introduction (2011), and Samuel Johnson and the Journey into Words (2015), and editor of The Oxford History of English (2nd ed., 2012).

Summary

Writing a War of Words is the first investigation of a valuable archive of war-time notebooks documenting changes to the English language on the Home Front. Using unconventional sources, it explores the effect of war on the language of ordinary people, and reflects on the role of language as an interdisciplinary lens on history.

Product details

• Authors: Lynda Mugglestone, Lynda (Professor of the History of En Mugglestone, Mugglestone Lynda
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 28.10.2021
• EAN: 9780198870159
• ISBN: 978-0-19-887015-9
• No. of pages: 368
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / Sociolinguistics, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Lexicography, Sociolinguistics, Language: history & general works, Social and cultural history, Lexicography, c 1914 to c 1918 (including WW1), Language: history and general works, c 1914 to c 1918 (World War One period)