Linguistics and Language: A Research Guide: About English

Print only.
An illustrated reference for all aspects of English, now in its third edition.

"The present dictionary is intended as a tool for students and scholars alike. Essentially, this book contains two types of definition: (i) varieties of English and the regions/countries where these are spoken and (ii) terms and concepts from the linguistic analysis of varieties. The book is intended to give information about present-day varieties around the world, but in order to do this some historical facts must also be covered, both for English in England and at other locations." [Preface]

2nd edition.
Available online and in print.
A lively textual exploration of the language. There are three types of entries: essay entries, brief dictionary entries for definitions or other explanations, and biographical entries.

Available online and in print.
Entries for 1,000 grammatical terms and their meanings. All the currently accepted terms of grammar are included, as well as older, traditional names, controversial new coinages, and items from the study of other languages. Concise definitions of the wider subject of linguistics, including phonetics and transformational grammar, are accompanied by examples of language in use, and frequent quotations from existing works on grammar.

Available online and in print.
The first usage reference to make regular use of larage databases (corpora) of written and spoken English, specifically the British National Corpus (BNC) for British English and American English from the Cambridge International Corpus (CCAE) as well as a series of six questionnaires, the Langscape survey. Usage guidelines are based on a three-point stylistic scale: formal, standard, and informal.

The OED presents the words that have formed the English vocabulary from the time of the earliest records down to the present day, with all the relevant facts concerning their form, sense-history, pronunciation, and etymology. It embraces not only the standard language of literature and conversation, whether current at the moment, or obsolete, or archaic, but also the main technical vocabulary, and a large measure of dialectical usage and slang. The online edition contains the complete second edition and continuing udpates and additions..

Available online and in print.
Entries for English words most commonly used in Australia. This title documents this national variation of the English language.

2nd edition.
Available in print and online.

Online only.
"...the first large-scale English dictionary especially prepared for New Zealand users. Compiled at the New Zealand Dictionary Centre in Wellington[.]" --Publisher's description.
See also the Oxford Dictionary of New Zealandisms.
Online version. Print version: Olin Library Reference PE 3602 .Z5 D48 2010.

Available online and in print.
A record of of the regional variations in words, pronunciations, and phrases in the United States with historical examples.