An introduction to historical linguistics designed for students with no background in the subject, but who have some knowledge of phonetics, phonology and morphology. Historical linguistic theory is introduced throughout where appropriate although the book presupposes no acquaintance with contemporary theories of phonology or syntax. The author introduces all major types of change, consequences of change, methods in historical lingustics, and later chapters deal with sociolinguistic aspects of change, language contact, birth and death of languages, language and prehistory and finally the issue of very remote relations. The book covers the more recent work on the study of phonological changes in progress, on morphological and syntactic change, and on typological approaches to change, and it address such recent controversies as the Nostratic hypothesis and the Greenburg/Cavalli-Sforza work on language, genes and teeth. It also treats etymology and onomastics in some detail. The approach is data orientated throughout and a range of exercises are included at the end of each chapter.