The Handbook of Language Variation and Change [Hardcover]

Reflecting a multitude of developments in the study of language change and variation over the last ten years, this extensively updated second edition features a number of new chapters and remains the authoritative reference volume on a core research area in linguistics.

• A fully revised and expanded edition of this acclaimed reference work, which has established its reputation based on its unrivalled scope and depth of analysis in this interdisciplinary field
• Includes seven new chapters, while the remainder have undergone thorough revision and updating to incorporate the latest research and reflect numerous developments in the field
• Accessibly structured by theme, covering topics including data collection and evaluation, linguistic structure, language and time, language contact, language domains, and social differentiation
• Brings together an experienced, international editorial and contributor team to provides an unrivalled learning, teaching and reference tool for researchers and students in sociolinguistics

List of Illustrations ix

List of Contributors xiii

Preface to the Second Edition xv

Studying Language Variation: An Informal Epistemology 1
J.K. Chambers

Part I Data Collection 17

1 Entering the Community: Fieldwork 19
Crawford Feagin

2 Data in the Study of Variation and Change 38
Tyler Kendall

3 Investigating Historical Variation and Change in Written Documents: New Perspectives 57
Edgar W. Schneider

Part II Evaluation 83

4 The Quantitative Paradigm 85
Robert Bayley