Presents a different way of viewing the partial regularities that language displays, the norms and conventions of language. The central norms applying to language, like those norms of function and behavior that account for the survival and proliferation of biological traits, are non-evaluative norms.

How many languages are there? What differentiates one language from another? Are new languages still being discovered? Why are so many languages disappearing? These are some of the questions considered in this Very Short Introduction. By examining the science of languages, we find that the answers are not as simple as we might expect.

The time known as Late Antiquity (c.300-c.800) was a fascinatingly diverse and important period which saw the 'Fall of Rome' and the growth of Christianity and Islam. Gillian Clark explores its historical controversies, introducing the main characters and themes, and demonstrating the transition between the medieval and ancient.

This anthology collects together some of the most famous examples of the Gothic tale in the 1890s, with stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Vernon Lee, Henry James and Arthur Machen, as well as some lesser known yet superbly chilling tales from the era. The introduction explores the many reasons for the Gothic revival, and how it spoke to the anxieties of the moment.

This medieval record book was compiled in the early 15th century by the nuns of Godstow Abbey near Oxford. Although the records are mainly in Latin, this edition summarises and indexes them in English. The introduction provides new information about the abbey, sheds light on women's literacy, and social relations in the diocese of Lincoln.

Useful for language learning, this title gives clear explanations of almost all the key points of Latin grammar. It also includes additional features, such as a glossary of grammatical terms, a vocabulary list covering all the Latin words found in the main text, study tips, and notes on Roman dates, money, weights and measures, and names.