'English was born in England and Scotland. Over the centuries it spread from Britain to Ireland and across the Atlantic and beyond. But even in far-flung locations, the roots of English in British dialects are detectable not only in broad outline but, if you are clever enough, in all sorts of fascinating detail. And Sali Tagliamonte is clever enough. This book is a tour de force of historical dialectology.' Peter Trudgill, University of Agder 'Tagliamonte forcefully demonstrates how the comparison of strategically located dialects in the British Isles can help understand the systematic evolution of English around the world. But she has also managed to retain the cultural and human soul of dialects by liberally incorporating applicable quotes and observations from the speakers into her rigorous comparative analysis, resulting in a pleasant, insightful read.' Walt Wolfram, William C. Friday Distinguished University Professor and Director, North Carolina Language and Life Project, North Carolina State University 'This book delves into the 'treasure trove' of data that constitutes the 'Roots' corpus with the goal of answering questions that have long engaged dialectologists, historical linguists and sociolinguists who have not heretofore had the wherewithal to properly address them. The accessibility of Tagliamonte's prose is as impressive as the breadth of her comparative analyses - a feat that will undoubtedly draw in the wide readership that her work so richly deserves.' Karen P. Corrigan, University of Newcastle ' will serve as a useful resource not only for researchers on variation and change in dialects of English but also for historical linguists working on the reconstruction of language history. Tagliamonte's coupling of the historical comparative method with variationist analysis is an exciting exemplification of what might be called 'historical sociolinguistics'.' James A. Walker, English Language and Linguistics
