English Language and Linguistics

& Duals

Reading Lists

Induction Task

Please click on the following link to view your Induction Task : English Language and Linguistics & Duals Induction Task

Reading List

In the first year of your degree you will study some of the basic building blocks of language (its sounds and structures), and how it changes over time and place, in your core modules. All the text books for the modules are either available via the University Library as eBooks or relevant sections are made available via Blackboard.

Autumn Semester

  • ELL110 - Varieties of English

Beal, Joan (2010). An Introduction to Regional Englishes. Edinburgh

University Press.

  • ELL112 - Sounds of English

Carr, P. (2020). English Phonetics and Phonology: An Introduction. 3rd edn. Wiley Blackwell.



  • ELL113 - Structures of English

Sportiche, D., Koopman, H., & Stabler, E. (2013). An introduction to syntactic analysis and theory. Wiley Blackwell.



Spring Semester

  • ELL114 - History of English

Van Gelderen, Elly (2014). A History of the English Language. John Benjamins.

(If you want to buy your own copy, make sure to get the revised 2014 edition!)


  • ELL120 – Linguistic Theory


Gussenhoven, Carlos, and Haike Jacobs (2017). Understanding Phonology. 4th edn. Routledge.

Sportiche, D., Koopman, H., & Stabler, E. (2013). An introduction to syntactic analysis and theory. Wiley Blackwell.


Hurford, James R., Brendan Heasley & Michael B. Smith (2007). Semantics: A coursebook. 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press.

[Relevant sections made available on Blackboard]


Löbner, Sebastian (2013). Understanding Semantics. 2nd edn. Taylor & Francis.



Suggested further reading before you arrive

For many of you this may be the first time you have studied Linguistics, especially if you did not take English Language at A-level.

So the summer before you arrive is an ideal time to explore what Linguistics is about.

The following books are designed to provide an introductory overview of Linguistics. You do not need to buy these books, and they will not be assigned as obligatory set texts for your modules.

However, should you choose to do so, we are confident they will provide an accessible and enjoyable insight into the kinds of things you will study here.

  • Crystal, D. (2008). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 5th Edition. Blackwell

  • Fromkin, Victoria, Rodman, Robert, & Hyams, Nina (2013). An introduction to language (10th Edition). Cengage Learning.

  • Harley, Trevor A. (2010). Talking the Talk: Language, Psychology and Science. Psychology Press.

  • Yule, G. (2010). The Study of Language, 4th Edition. Routledge

If you want to buy hard copies of any of the books listed above, consider using the Blackwell’s University Book shop located at Orchard Square which runs a Student Price-match promotion. This offer guarantees that they will price-match to Amazon, Waterstones and other on-line retailers, ensuring students get the cheapest UK price on their texts. They also stock 2nd hand books. Their contact details are:

Phone: 0114 2787211

Email: sheffield@blackwells.co.uk