
An Introduction to the English Writing System
Marco Condorelli(Author)
Edinburgh Textbooks on the English Language (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 31. October 2026
Book
Hardback
176 pages
978-1-3995-1716-4 (ISBN)
Description
This textbook introduces orthographic theory (sometimes referred to as grapholinguistics). If you are taking courses in English language and linguistics, and particularly those studying the English writing system, this book will provide you with an accessible and engaging entry point into this fascinating topic. Each chapter discusses the English writing system with reference to key linguistic areas like phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicography, semantics and pragmatics.
You will be introduced to basic working definitions of writing systems theory, including orthography, spelling, punctuation, capitalisation and the differences between spelling and orthography and between writing system and script. The book also discusses digital communication, emojis, register-specificity in writing and the social aspects of spelling, and embraces design elements such as alignment, page layout and abbreviations, as well as aspects of visualisation such as calligraphy - all of which have not always been regarded as constitutive components of English writing in the past.More details
Series
Language
English
Publishing group
Edinburgh University Press
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 138 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-3995-1716-4 (9781399517164)
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Marco Condorelli completed his Ph.D. in English Language at the University of Central Lancashire. Marco is author of Standardising English Spelling: The Role of Printing in Sixteenth and Seventeenth-century Graphemic Developments (2022) and editor of Advances in Historical Orthography, c. 1500-1800 (2020).