A view of the major elements in the structural evolution of the Italian language, this study aims to be accessible to those who know the modern language and seek the historical rationale behind some of its features, and to those who are interested in the history of the Romance languages.

A Linguistic History of Italian offers a clear and concise explanation of why modern Italian grammar has become the way it is. It focuses on the effects of historical changes on the modern structure of Italian, revealing patterns and structures which are not always apparent to those who are only familiar with modern Italian. Although the book concentrates on the internal history of the language, the emergence of Italian is considered against the wider background of the history of italian dialects, and other external factors such as cultural and social influences are also examined.