This volume examines the phenomenon of language change from three different perspectives. It focuses on the effects of internal developments in the linguistic system, the role of contact with other varieties and the influence that extra-linguistic factors such as sociopolitical and economic developments may have on language. Moreover, as language change is rarely a clear-cut process, the interface between these different forces are explored.This book brings together the work of eighteen scholars working in the fields of historical linguistics, sociolinguistics and bilingualism and presents hitherto unpublished data from varieties including English, French, Karaim, Modern Greek, Jordanian, Spanish, Latin, and Arabic. The different perspectives. It focuses on the effects of internal developments in the linguistic system, the role of contact with other varieties and the influence that extra-linguistic factors such as sociopolitical and economic developments may have on language. Moreover, as language change is rarely a clear-cut process, the interface between these different forces are explored.This book brings together the work of eighteen scholars working in the fields of historical linguistics, sociolinguistics and bilingualism and presents hitherto unpublished data from varieties including English, French, Karaim, Modern Greek, Jordanian, Spanish, Latin, and Arabic. The chapters are organized around the themes of levelling, convergence and adaptative mechanisms and combine theoretical debate with case studies of the varieties discussed.From the contentsIntroductionKimberley Farrar and Mari C. Jones1. LEVELLINGDialect contact and koinéization: the case of northern FranceDavid HornsbyThe depicardization of the vernaculars of the Lille conurbationTim PooleyJordanian and Palestinian dialects in contact: vowel raising in AmmanEnam Al-Wer2. CONVERGENCEMette a haout dauve la grippe des Angllaïs: convergence on the Island ofGuernseyMari C. JonesModern Greek: towards a standard language or a new diglossia?David HoltonStandard English and the lexicon: why so many different spellings?Laura WrightLatin and Arabic evolutionary processes: some relectionsJoseph CremonaThere's sheep and there's penguins: convergence, "drift" and "slant" inNew Zealand and Falkland Island EnglishDavid Britain and Andrea Sudbury3. ADAPTATIVE MECHANISMSConvergence in the brain: the leakiness of bilinguals' sound systemsIan WatsonLanguage contact in early bilinguals: the special statusof function wordsMargaret Deuchar and Marilyn May Vihman4. CODE-COPYINGContact-induced change in a code-copying frameworkLars JohansonKaraim: a high-copying languageÉva Ágnes Csató [To order, please contactSFG-Servicecenter-Fachverlage GmbHPostfach 434372774 ReutlingenFax: +49 (0)7071 - 93 53 - 33E-mail: deGruyter@s-f-g.comFor USA, Canada and Mexico:Walter de Gruyter, Inc.200 Saw Mill River RoadHawthorne, NY 10532, USAFax: +1 (914) 747-1326E-mail: cs@degruyterny.comPlease visit our website for other publications by Mouton de Gruyter: http://www.degruyter.com]