Product Description

This book presents a new and comprehensive descriptive grammar of English, written by the principal authors in collaboration with an international research team of a dozen linguists in five countries. It represents a major advance over previous grammars by virtue of drawing systematically on the linguistic research carried out on English during the last forty years. It incorporates insights from the theoretical literature but presents them in a way that is accessible to readers without formal training in linguistics. It is based on a sounder and more consistent descriptive framework than previous large-scale grammars, and includes much more explanation of grammatical terms and concepts, together with justification for the ways in which the analysis differs from traditional grammar. The book contains twenty chapters and a guide to further reading. Its usefulness is enhanced by diagrams of sentence structure, cross-references between sections, a comprehensive index, and user-friendly design and typography throughout.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #215291 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1860 pages

Review
‘This grammar has benefited from extensive collaboration with scholars who have contributed substantial parts to individual chapters. An impressively voluminous piece of work. A reference work that should be available to all grammarians.’ Linguist List

‘An error-free guide, this latest publication must stand as one of the best analyses of modern English.’ Contemporary Review

‘… with help from an impressive group of international scholars, linguistics Professors Huddleston (English Grammar: An Outline) and Pullum (Phonetic Symbol Guide) here provide a comprehensive and detailed look at the principles of the English language‘… An authoritative addition to the fields of both English grammar and linguistics. Recommended for all academic libraries.’ Library Journal

‘I have read many excellent accounts of the English language over the years, but this recent publication by Cambridge University Press is by far the most impressive. In fact, I would say the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language is one of the most superb works of academic scholarship ever to appear on the English linguistics scene … a monumental work that offers easily the most comprehensive and thought-provoking treatment of English grammar to date. Nothing rivals this work, with respect to breadth, depth and consistency of coverage.’ Australian Book Review

‘ … this book will take its place alongside the two other reference grammars of recent years, to give students a foundation for the study of English grammar that they have never had before.’ The Indexer

‘Huddleston and Pullum have done an admirable job …’. Arbeiten aus Anglistik und Amerikanistik

'The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language is a comprehensive descriptive grammar of English designed to be accessible to the general reader … Everything about this book is a credit to the authors and the publishers. It is authoritative, interesting, reasonably priced (for a book of this size), beautifully designed, well proofread, and enjoyable to handle … It is both a modern complement to existing descriptive grammars … and an important resource for anyone interested in working with or finding out about English.' Chris Brew, The Ohio State University

'… very stimulating … It will, deservedly, replace its predecessor A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language [] and I anticipate that it will give grammarians [] much to argue about for many years to come … continues a respected scholarly tradition.' Language and Literature

About the Author
Rodney Huddleston graduated from the University of Cambridge in Modern & Medieval Languages in 1960, and earned his PhD in Applied Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh in 1963. He held lectureships at the University of Edinburgh, University College London and the University of Reading, before moving in 1969 to the Department of English at the University of Queensland, where he worked until formally retiring in 1998. He was the winner of one of three `Excellence in Teaching' awards at the University of Queensland in 1988, and in 1990 was awarded a Personal Chair. He has written numerous articles and books on English grammar, including An Introduction to English Transformational Syntax (1976) and Introduction to the Grammar of English (1984), and was the founding editor of The Australian Journal of Linguistics (1980--1985).

Geoffrey K. Pullum earned his B.A. in Language at the University of York in 1972 and his Ph.D. in General Linguistics at the University of London four years later. After teaching at University College London for seven years he moved to the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he served as Dean of Graduate Studies and Research for six years and is currently Professor of Linguistics. He was a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences in 1990–91. His numerous publications cover not only syntactic theory and English grammar but also on a large number of other topics in linguistics. His books include Generalized Phrase Structure Grammar (1985, with Gazdar, Klein, and Sag) and a collection of satirical essays on linguistics, The Great Eskimo Vocabulary Hoax (1991).

Customer Reviews

I urge caution
Before you buy a copy of this book, I urge you to go to other sites and compare online reviews of it with the older Comprehensive Grammar by Quirk and Greenbaum. The latter also costs a great deal. I would suggest that it is still probably the better book for some uses. It is just as comprehensive and non-prescriptive. The terminology used is better in some circumstances. Online reviewers have mentioned problems in the Cambridge regarding their analysis of phrasal verbs.

Exactly what english grammar was in need of!
I have just purchased an exemplar of this book, and although some people might find it rather complicated, I feel certain in saying that it is exactly what english grammar was in need of: a thorough coverage of its features in a modern, descriptive, and factual way; and, where people may call it complicated, i'd rather call it complete and thoroughly detailed. In this wonderful work, obsolete concepts such as Latin principles misleadingly applied to English (which is NOT a romanic language) and traditional spurious justifications are abandoned, and english is faced as the completely unique language it certainly is. Being an inhabitant of a country in which an actually latin language is spoken as its mother one, I know how much such a group of languages diverge from english in so many ways, and thus think this book an extremely appropriate account on english and its unique properties and traits.
Maybe, the trait of the book which pleased me most was its modern way to reorganize determinate parts of English grammar which should have been reviewed right at the dawn of modern english centuries ago. The main problem with previous grammar books was their habit of analysing English as though it were a latin language, attributing to it characteristics it does not intrinsecally contain )which this book promptly denies), such as the existence of an inflectional subjunctive mood.
Therefore, one can really say that what the book does is provide a renewed and much sounder description on the modern language we call english, discarding many old concepts; some that do not really surprise us with their being removed, and others which quite much do! However, I am very sure that this rich descriptive work shall not stand on the book stores' shelves without arousing all kinds of indignant critics from conservative students of the language, specially the older ones, who may have partly helped in the creation of the system disputed by the book.
But I must say that anyone with a reasonable inclination shall understand the authors' propositions and assertions, taking them very seriously, for those are based on extremely well - formulated and sensible arguments; actually, i doubt someone open - minded could read the book from beggining to end without at least having a couple of former opinions and beliefs changed by the practicaly irrefutable evidences displayed by the authors as proofs of the applicability of their propositions.
I hope this book has more purchasers, and, consequently, more reviews so that debates about important grammar issues may start, for I believe that this newer, sounder analysis of English language need be displayed to all advanced English students, in order that important and inevitable reformulations in its unfortunately obsolete grammar concepts happen. Whoever has love for this language, like myself, shall be glad to debate, and this is an appeal i direct even to the highest authorities among teachers and grammarians.

Exactly what English grammar was in need of!
I have just purchased an exemplar of this book, and although some people might find it rather complicated, I feel certain in saying that it is exactly what English grammar was in need of: a thorough coverage of its features in a modern, descriptive, and factual way; and, where people may call it complicated, I’d rather call it complete and thoroughly detailed. In this wonderful work, obsolete concepts such as Latin principles misleadingly applied to English (which is NOT a Romanic language) and traditional spurious justifications are abandoned, and English is faced as the completely unique language it certainly is. Being an inhabitant of a country in which an actually Latin language is spoken as its mother one, I know how much such a group of languages diverge from English in so many ways, and thus think this book an extremely appropriate account on English and its unique properties and traits.
Maybe, the trait of the book which pleased me most was its modern way to reorganize determinate parts of English grammar which should have been reviewed right at the dawn of modern English centuries ago. The main problem with previous grammar books was their habit of analyzing English as though it were a Latin language, attributing to it characteristics it does not intrinsically contain (which this book promptly denies), such as the existence of an inflectional subjunctive mood.
Therefore, one can really say that what the book does is provide a renewed and much sounder description on the modern language we call English, discarding many old concepts; some that do not really surprise us with their being removed, and others which quite much do! However, I am very sure that this rich descriptive work shall not stand on the bookstores' shelves without arousing all kinds of indignant critics from conservative students of the language, specially the older ones, who may have partly helped in the creation of the system disputed by the book.
But I must say that anyone with a reasonable inclination shall understand the authors' propositions and assertions, taking them very seriously, for those are based on extremely well formulated and sensible arguments; actually, I doubt someone open - minded could read the book from beginning to end without at least having a couple of former opinions and beliefs changed by the practically irrefutable evidences displayed by the authors as proofs of the applicability of their propositions.
I hope this book has more purchasers, and, consequently, more reviews so that debates about important grammar issues may start, for I believe that this newer, sounder analysis of English language need be displayed to all advanced English students, in order that important and inevitable reformulations in its unfortunately obsolete grammar concepts happen. Whoever has love for this language, like myself, shall be glad to debate, and this is an appeal I direct even to the highest authorities among teachers and grammarians.