The status of 'Standard English' has featured in linguistic, educational and cultural debates over decades. This second edition of Tony Crowley's wide-ranging historical analysis and lucid account of the complex and sometimes polarised arguments driving the debate brings us up to date, and ranges from the 1830s to Conservative education policies in the 1990s and on to the implications of the National Curriculum for English language teaching in schools. Students and researchers in literacy, the history of English language, cultural theory, and English language education will find this treatment comprehensive, carefully researched and lively reading.

Autorentext

TONY CROWLEY was born and grew up in Liverpool. He has taught at the Universities of Oxford, Southampton, Rutgers, Barcelona and San Diego. He is currently Professor of English at the University of Manchester. His publications include Proper English?, Language in History and The Politics of Language in Northern Ireland.

Zusammenfassung
The 'Standard English' question has featured in linguistic, educational and cultural debates for decades. At critical points in British history the language became a symbol and focus, with particular varieties of the language acquiring ideological importance. In this careful and balanced account, Tony Crowley draws on theoretical insights from Bakhtin, Foucault and Volosinov in a study of representations of the English language from the eighteenth century onwards, on the development of different concepts of the 'Standard Language' and the value attached within the wider society to varieties of spoken and written English. Placing the 'Standard English' question within its historical perspectiv he explores the educational consequences of these debates, bringing the reader up to date in this second edition with an analysis of the effect on English language teaching of Conservative educational policies of the 1980s and 90s and the implications of the National Curriculum. Students and researchers of English language, cultural theory, and language education will find this treatment comprehensive, carefully researched and lively reading.The first edition of this book appeared outside North America with the title The Discourse of Politics.

Inhalt

Preface Acknowledgement Introduction A History of 'The History of the Language' Archbishop Trench's Theory of Language: The Tractatus Theologico-Politicus The Standard Language: The Literary Language The Standard Language: The Language of the Literate Theorising the Standard: Jones and Wyld Language Against Modernity Continuities: Past and Present Conclusion: Further Confusion: Kingman, Cox, The National Curriculum and After Notes Bibliography of Works Consulted Index