Historical Outlines Of English Accidence, Comprising Chapters On The History And Development Of The Language, And On Word Formation

Step back into the nineteenth century to trace how English became itself. A concise landmark in linguistics. Richard Morris’s Historical Outlines of English Accidence presents a lucid, organised account of English language history, marrying the rigour of Victorian era linguistics with clear, modern readability. Structured around chapters on the history and development of the language and on word formation, Morris surveys Old English evolution, morphological shifts and the principles of word formation study that underpin modern English grammar development. He frames grammatical change as a continuous process, using comparative analysis to make sense of inflection, derivation and the slow reshaping of syntax. Morris balances technical precision with clear exposition, so that morphological and inflectional patterns become intelligible to non-specialists without sacrificing scholarly weight. The result is an accessible historical linguistics guide that suits independent learners and undergraduates alike. It provides a compact tool for exploring English grammar development across centuries. More than a dry manual, it reads like a guided tour through language change overview: comparative philology and practical grammar meet in clear, often brisk analysis. Valued historically as an academic language reference, it functions equally well as a university linguistics textbook and as an introductory historical linguistics guide for students and curious readers alike.Historically significant for students of comparative philology and anyone interested in nineteenth century English scholarship, Morris’s work illuminates the methods and assumptions that shaped later studies of language change. Casual readers curious about the origins of modern usage and classic-literature collectors seeking a notable addition to a Richard Morris collection will both find satisfaction: the lucid prose rewards non-specialists while the text’s scholarly framework preserves its value as a comparative philology resource and an academic language reference for research or teaching. Out of print for decades and now republished by Alpha Editions. Restored for today’s and future generations. More than a reprint - a collector’s item and a cultural treasure. Essential for libraries, university courses and personal collections.