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"Dialects":
* introduces the many dialects of English spoken in the United Kingdom
* reveals the key issues that dialectology engages with
* uses both the international phonetic alphabet and simple representations of sounds to explain pronunciations
* involves readers in collecting data
* contains numerous illustrative maps
* is written in a lively and engaging style, with information on 'posh and less-posh' dialects and spotting your dialect area.

Peter Trudgill is Chair of English Linguistics at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland and an important figure in dialectology.

How to Use This Book. 1. Studying English Dialects 2. Posh and Less Posh Dialects 3. English in Many Shapes and Forms 4. Dialects - The Old and the New 5. Dialect Maps 6. What Dialect Maps Can Tell Us 7. How Dialect Boundaries Get to be Where They Are 8. Spot Your Dialect Area 9. Present Tense Verbs 10. Different Dialects, Different Grammar 11. Dialect Grammar - The Old and the New 12. Overdoing Things. Further Reading