B. Grammar and General Studies

2242. Curme, George O. Parts of speech and accidence. Boston, Heath, 1935. 370 p. (A Grammar of the English language … v. 2) 35-17513 PE1105.G7, v. 2

2243. Curme, George O. Syntax. Boston, Heath, 1931. 616 p. (A Grammar of the English language … v. 3) 31-19900 PE1105.G7, v. 3

The two volumes of A Grammar of the English Language which have so far appeared approach the problem as that of one language; however, wherever necessary the differences between American and British English are discussed in detail. The first volume, History of the English Language, Sounds and Spellings, Word-Formation, by Hans Kurath, has not yet appeared, although it is still listed in the publisher’s 1956 catalog.

2244. Fries, Charles C. American English grammar; the grammatical structure of present-day American English with especial reference to social differences or class dialects. The report of an investigation financed by the National Council of Teachers of English and supported by the Modern Language Association and the Linguistic Society of America. New York, Appleton-Century, 1940. 313 p. (National Council of Teachers of English. English monographs,no. 10) 41-347 PE2811.F7

A report on the grammar of "standard" American English. The author recognizes that there may be a number of acceptable forms, rather than one "correct" form. Most of the distinctions made in the book are between "standard" and "vulgar" American English, with an attempt to record their frequency, extent, and divergencies.

2245. Galinsky, Hans. Die Sprache des Amerikaners; eine Einführung in die Hauptunterschiede zwischen amerikanischem und britischem Englisch der Gegenwart. Heidelberg, F. H. Kerle, 1951-52. 2 v. 52-37439 PE2813.G3

A detailed study and analysis of the American language as contrasted with British English. The emphasis is on the present-day situation, and not on the historical development, nor is it on dialectical variations. The first volume is divided into two sections on "Das Klangbild" and "Die Schreibung"; the second volume covers "Wortschatz und Wortbildung" and "Syntax und Flexion." Both volumes contain an extensive selective bibliography.

2246. Krapp, George P. The English language in America. New York, Century, for the Modern Language Association of America, 1925. 2 v. 25-19533 PE2808.K7. Bibliography: v. 2, p. 273-284.

Krapp (1872-1934) was a professor of English at Columbia University, and a leading student of the language of America. The first volume of his major work in this field has seven essays on "The Mother Tongue," "Vocabulary," "Proper Names," "Literary Dialects," "Style," "American Spelling," and "American Dictionaries." The second volume is devoted to pronunciation. Another work by him on the latter aspect is The Pronunciation of Standard English in America (New York, Oxford University Press, American Branch, 1919. 235 p.).

2247. Mathews, Mitford M., ed. The beginnings of American English; essays and comments. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1931. 181 p. 31-28142 PE2805.M3

A useful collection of material made up mainly of quotations from 18th- and early 19th-century writers on the English language in America. A word index is supplied.

2248. Mencken, Henry L. The American language; an inquiry into the development of English in the United States. 4th ed., cor., enl., and rewritten. New York, Knopf, 1936.769 p. 36-27236 PE2808.M4 1936

"Proper names in America": p. 474-554.

— — Supplement I–II … New York, Knopf, 1945-48. 2 v. PE2808.M4 1936 Suppl.

Includes bibliographies.

Mencken, who is included in the Literature section (q. v.), was a journalist rather than a linguist; nevertheless, he compiled one of the outstanding works on the history and nature of the American language. In addition to the Americana of "good" American English and place-names, he studied extensively American slang and dialects. The work does not attempt to rival the dictionaries in the field (compiled well after the first edition of his work in 1919), but is largely in the form of discursive text and essays. However, an extensive index in the main volume and its supplements does enable it to serve also as a lexicon of much linguistic esoterica. The supplements are aligned chapter by chapter with the main work.

2249. Myers, Louis M. Guide to American English. New York, Prentice-Hall, 1955. 433 p. 55-8367 PE1111.M954

A grammar aimed at students, this work presents American English without emphasizing British differences or using traditional approaches and terminology which the author regards as obsolete. The interest is in written English, rather than in the spoken language. Parts of the book have been drawn from the author’s earlier American English; a Twentieth-Century Guide (New York, Prentice-Hall, 1952. 237 p.).

2250. Pyles, Thomas. Words and ways of American English. New York, Random House, 1952. 310 p. 52-5156 PE2808.P9

"The present book … is an attempt to provide for the lay reader a brief yet adequate treatment of the English language as it has been and is spoken and written by Americans."—Preface. A general introductory book to the topic is Richard D. Mallery’s Our American Language (Garden City, N.Y., Halcyon House, 1947. 276 p.).

2251. Robertson, Stuart. The development of modern English. 2d ed., rev. by Frederic G. Cassidy. New York, Prentice-Hall, 1954. 469 p. 53-13011 PE1075.R57 1954

A study of the history and nature of English, with the emphasis placed on picturing modern American English in its context within the English language as an entity. Individual chapters are followed by references for further reading. The original version of the work first appeared in 1934.

2252. Schele de Vere, Maximilian. Americanisms; the English of the New World. New York, Scribner, 1872. 685 p. 10–26369 PE2835.S4

A work which in individual chapters studies special sources of Americanisms. There are chapters on the American Indian, immigrants, the West, politics, etc. The work is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to track down the unusual Americanisms that at the period were to be found in good American English.