Studies in the history of the English language

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Empirical and Analytical Advances in the Study of English Language Change continues the dialogue among historians of the English language, building on the SHEL conferences initiated in 2000 at UCLA. This volume follows three previous SHEL-based collections of peer-reviewed research and commentaries. The editors invited contributors to reflect on their methodologies in historical studies, with a focus on data selection and analysis. The essays encompass a range of interests in linguistic change across various periods, genres, and aspects of the English language, showcasing diverse approaches and evidence used to address the subject. They illustrate the current state of research and the debates surrounding the nature of evidence and the robustness of heuristics in explaining language change. The editors emphasize the importance of examining the evidence that informs their research while critically assessing the heuristics employed by their peers. Contributions express these themes and include works from notable scholars such as Richard Hogg (to whom the volume is dedicated), William Labov, Elizabeth Traugott, and others. This volume is valuable for scholars, postgraduate, and research students in the fields of English history, philology, and historical linguistics.