Introduction, Penelope J.Corfield; estates, degrees and sorts - changing perceptions of society in Tudor and Stuart England, Keigh Wrightson; "hidalgo" and "pechero" - the language of "estates" and "classes" in early-modern Castile, I.A.A.Thompson; definitions of nobility in 17th century France, Roger Mettam; class by name and number in 18th-century Britain, Penelope J.Corfield; the emergence of "Society" in 18th and 19th century Germany, James Van Horn Melton; from gentlemen to the residuum - languages of social description in Victorian Britain, Geoffrey Crossick; "To each a language of his own" language, culture and society in colonial India, David Washbrook; the language of representation - towards a Muslim political order in 19th century India, Farzana Shaikh; Chinese views of social classification, Philip A.Kuhn; languages of power in the United States, Daniel T.Rodgers and Sean Wilentz; language and interpretation - Paul Robeson before the House Committee on Un-American activities, William Downes.
