THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE: An Inquiry Into the Development of English in the United States : 4th Revised Edition, and SUPPLEMENTS I & II

New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1955. Fourth Edition, w/Two Supplements . Hard Cover/3 Volumes. Near Fine/No Jackets. Classic, multi-volume study of spoken American Language (or, "Americanism" ) by Henry Louis Mencken (1880 - 1956), journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic & scholar of American English. A frolic in linguistics in 3 volumes. Physical condition for of all three books: (a) Text/NEW & Bright; (b) Gilt embossed linen boards; (c) Upper text block dyed; (d) DJ/None; and (e) Trace shelf soiling to text edges. Particulars are: VOLUME 1: THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE, An Inquiry Into The Development of English in the United States: (first published 1919), 4th corrected, enlarged & rewritten edition (virtually a new book), 13th printing of 1955 w/ blue linen boards; 769 pgs, 12 chapters & separately paginated Index. VOLUME 2: SUPPLEMENT I, w/black linen boards (first published 1945), 5th printing of 1952; 739 pgs, 6 chapters followed by List of Words & Phrases & Index. VOLUME 3: SUPPLEMENT II, w/black linen boards (first published 1948), 3rd printing of 1956); 890 pgs, chapters 7 thru' 11, also w/ List of Words & Phrases and Index. The two full-sized Supplements to the main volume are based on subsequent, studied essays. Mencken makes the case that the American form of English was continuously departing from its parent stem, and the gap between the two would progressly increase over time. By 1923, Mencken noted the "pull of American" language had become so powerful that "it began to drag English along with it", and some once notable differences began to disapppear. These observations that led to the substantially revised 4th Edition, which is in a real sense a separate work from the initial 1919 edition. An indispensible resource for scholars of the English language written w/wit, flair & humor. A pleasure for lay linguists. Fine 3 Volume Set, less dust jackets.