A modern English grammar on historical principles. --

A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles represents the magnum opus of Danish linguist Otto Jespersen. Conceived as a multi-volume project that spanned several decades of the early twentieth century, the work sought to bridge the gap between historical linguistics and the actual usage of English as it had evolved from the sixteenth century to the modern day. By focusing on the living language rather than prescriptive rules, Jespersen established a foundation for modern English syntax that moved away from traditional Latin-based grammatical structures.

The 1961 edition issued by George Allen & Unwin served to consolidate these expansive volumes, keeping Jespersen's analytical framework accessible for postwar scholars and students. While the original research was conducted earlier in the century, this iteration maintained the author's innovative use of functional categories and his commitment to the historical development of grammatical forms. The work was widely received in academic circles as a standard reference, celebrated for its empirical rigor and the author's deep insight into the internal logic of the English language.