The History of Languages: An Introduction (Oxford Textbooks in Linguistics)
"A highly readable introduction to the history of languages intended for students and general readers with an interest in history, anthropology, politics and linguistics. Though the central focus of the work is on the history of standard European languages, other languages such as Arabic and Chinese are considered in some detail...In sum, this textbook reinforces the idea that the study of language is linked to the study of history and society. It is appropriate for an introductory course in historical linguistics (though supplemental readings in historical phonology and morphology would need to be included in the syllabus), and it will give the student a solid overview of how societal changes effect language, as well as spark interest in a wide variety of topics such as language policy, language contact and language shift."--Linguist List