English Human Impersonal Pronouns - (Topics in English Linguistics) by Florian Haas (Hardcover)

About the Book

The future of English linguistics as envisaged by the editors of Topics in English Linguistics lies in empirical studies which integrate work in English linguistics into general and theoretical linguistics on the one hand, and comparative linguistics on the other. The TiEL series features volumes that present interesting new data and analyses, and above all fresh approaches that contribute to the overall aim of the series, which is to further outstanding research in English linguistics.

Book Synopsis

This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of the impersonal uses of 'you', 'one', 'they', and 'people' in English. The corpus-based study examines shifts in use from the 17th century to today, discusses further impersonalization strategies, such as passives, and compares impersonal 'you' with second-person pronouns in other languages. It highlights key innovations such as the rise of simulating 'you' - where the addressee is not a member of the group generalized over - and considers language-external as well as language-internal motivations for these changes. Combining synchronic and diachronic perspectives, the book is a valuable resource for scholars in historical linguistics, pragmatics, and syntax.

About the Author

Florian Haas, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany.