Books by Peter Trudgill

Originally published in 1979, this volume was the first to attempt to apply the principles of social linguistics within a British urban community. Particularly influenced by the ideas of William Labov, it puts forward the view that linguistic expression in Norwich is intimately linked to the process of social stratification.

This is a study of the grammatical variations to be found in English dialects. It looks at aspects as diverse as the personal dative in Appalachian speech, and transitivity and intransitivity in the dialects of the south-west of England.

This is a classic book on a fascinating subject. Peter Trudgill examines the close link between language and society and the many factors that influence the way we speak. These range from gender, environment, age, race, class, region and politics. Trudgill's book surveys languages and societies from all over the world drawing on examples from Afrikaans to Yiddish. He has added a fascinating chapter on the development of a language as a result of a non-native speaker's use of it. Compelling and authoritative, this new edition of a bestselling book is set to redraw the boundaries of the study of sociolinguistics.