History of the Latin Language

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The Blackwell History of the Latin Language by James Clackson, Geoffrey Horrocks

Review
“This book is the best single volume work on the Latin language. A comprehensive survey of the major topics in Latin linguistics, it is valuable not only to specialists in that field but also to Latin literary scholars, and to students of Indo-European and Romance historical linguistics generally.”
Philip Burton, University of Birmingham

“The…hefty Blackwell History of the Latin Language…The authors focus on the evolution of the sounds, vocabulary, word and sentence structure…over the centuries.”
Chicago Tribune

“[The authors] set the tone … with an honesty that is … appreciated … .Marvelous treatment of … understudied languages … .Carefully, admirably, proofread … .Recommended.” Choice

Review
“This book is the best single volume work on the Latin language. A comprehensive survey of the major topics in Latin linguistics, it is valuable not only to specialists in that field but also to Latin literary scholars, and to students of Indo-European and Romance historical linguistics generally.”
Philip Burton, University of Birmingham

“The…hefty Blackwell History of the Latin Language…The authors focus on the evolution of the sounds, vocabulary, word and sentence structure…over the centuries.”
Chicago Tribune

“[The authors] set the tone … with an honesty that is … appreciated … .Marvelous treatment of … understudied languages … .Carefully, admirably, proofread … .Recommended.” Choice

Product Description
The Blackwell History of the Latin Language charts the development of Latin from its prehistoric origins in the Indo-European language family, through the earliest texts, to the creation of the Classical Language of Cicero and Vergil, and examines the impact of the spread of spoken Latin through the Roman Empire. Accessible and intelligent, this is the first book in English in more than 50 years to provide comprehensive coverage of the history of the language.

The authors make use of contemporary work in linguistics, particularly the insights gained from modern sociolinguistic research, to provide up-to-date commentary on key linguistic issues in the field. Offering a full account of the language's transformation in the context of the rise and fall of Ancient Rome, they examine a number of broad topics, including the impact of Greek, the linguistic implications of Christianity, the tension between written and spoken regional varieties of the language, the lives and social positions of Latin speakers, and the fate of the language in late antiquity and beyond.

The book includes maps and glossary as well as fully translated and annotated sample texts that illustrate the different stages of the language. Readable and fully up-to-date, The Blackwell History of the Latin Language is ideal for both students and scholars of Latin, linguistics, and ancient history.

Book Description
The Blackwell History of the Latin Language charts the development of Latin from its prehistoric origins in the Indo-European language family, through the earliest texts, to the creation of the Classical Language of Cicero and Vergil, and examines the impact of the spread of spoken Latin through the Roman Empire. Accessible and intelligent, this is the first book in English in more than 50 years to provide comprehensive coverage of the history of the language. This text makes use of contemporary work in linguistics, particularly the insights gained from modern sociolinguistic research, to provide up-to-date commentary on key linguistic issues in the field. Offering a full account of the language's transformation in the context of the rise and fall of Ancient Rome, this text looks at a number of broad topics, including the impact of Greek, the linguistic implications of Christianity, the tension between written and spoken regional varieties of the language, the lives and social positions of Latin speakers, and the fate of the language in late antiquity and beyond. This text includes maps and glossary as well as fully translated and annotated sample texts that illustrate the different stages of the language. Readable and fully up-to-date, A History of the Latin Language is an ideal text for both students and scholars.

From the Back Cover
The Blackwell History of the Latin Language charts the development of Latin from its prehistoric origins in the Indo-European language family, through the earliest texts, to the creation of the Classical Language of Cicero and Vergil, and examines the impact of the spread of spoken Latin through the Roman Empire. Accessible and intelligent, this is the first book in English in more than 50 years to provide comprehensive coverage of the history of the language.

The authors make use of contemporary work in linguistics, particularly the insights gained from modern sociolinguistic research, to provide up-to-date commentary on key linguistic issues in the field. Offering a full account of the language's transformation in the context of the rise and fall of Ancient Rome, they examine a number of broad topics, including the impact of Greek, the linguistic implications of Christianity, the tension between written and spoken regional varieties of the language, the lives and social positions of Latin speakers, and the fate of the language in late antiquity and beyond.

The book includes maps and glossary as well as fully translated and annotated sample texts that illustrate the different stages of the language. Readable and fully up-to-date, The Blackwell History of the Latin Language is ideal for both students and scholars of Latin, linguistics, and ancient history.

About the Author
James Clackson is University Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of The Linguistic Relationship between Armenian and Greek (1994), Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction (2007) as well as articles on classical and Indo-European philology.

Geoffrey Horrocks is Professor of Comparative Philology at Cambridge. He is the author of Space and Time in Homer (1981), Generative Grammar (1987), Greek: a History of the Language and its Speakers (1997), as well as of many articles on the history and structure of Greek from antiquity to the present day; he is also co-editor of Themes in Greek Linguistics (1998) and Studies in Greek Syntax (1999).