Historical divisions and perceptual dialectology

This chapter discusses the perceptions of English variation from the earliest available commentary to the present day. Historical commentary on English variation from various sources is discussed and contrasted with contemporary accounts of the perception of variation in English. The chapter discusses commonalities in the perception of regional variation over time, examining three overarching themes: the presence of a linguistic hierarchy; the focus on the ‘best’ forms of English in areas (and occupations) proximal to the centres of power, and general concerns about language change.