Spelling and Society: The Culture and Politics of Orthography around the World

Spelling and Society: The Culture and Politics of Orthography around the World

by Mark Sebba (Author)

Synopsis

Spelling matters to people. In America and Britain every day, members of the public write to the media on spelling issues, and take part in spelling contests. In Germany, a reform of the spelling system has provoked a constitutional crisis; in Galicia, a 'war of orthographies' parallels an intense public debate on national identity; on walls, bridges and trains globally, PUNX and ANARKISTS proclaim their identities orthographically. The way we spell often represents an attempt to associate with, or dissociate from, other languages. In Spelling and Society, Mark Sebba explores why matters of orthography are of real concern to so many groups, as a reflection of culture, history and social practices, and as a powerful symbol of national or local identity. This 2007 book will be welcomed by students and researchers in English language, orthography and sociolinguistics, and by anyone interested in the importance of spelling in contemporary society.

$129.29

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 210
Edition: 1
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 29 Mar 2007

ISBN 10: 0521848458
ISBN 13: 9780521848459
Book Overview: 2007 text discussing the cultural and political importance of spelling in modern society from a sociolinguistic viewpoint.

Media Reviews
Review of the hardback: 'Mark Sebba goes beyond a description of the culture and the politics of orthography around the globe ... such a 'sociolinguistics of orthography' has been missing from the literature.' Pragmatics
'Spelling and Society is a well written, researched, and structured book, with each chapter partitioned into reasonably-sized, subtitled sections, making for an enjoyable read.' Lionel Mathieu, Linguist List
Author Bio
Mark Sebba is Reader in Sociolinguistics and Language Contact in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University.