Historical Linguistics explores the relationship between fundamental concepts in historical linguistics, such as language change, and the corresponding ideas in contemporary (synchronic) linguistic theory. Going beyond the boundaries of a standard text, this volume presents the reader with controversial but compelling ideas, developing a firm foundation and a clear understanding as to why historical linguistics has had significant success in some domains, such as phonological change, and been considerably less successful in other, like diachronic syntax. This book is designed for students and scholars with an interest in historical linguistics, especially in the relationship between diachronic and synchronic work in contemporary linguistics.