English Databases

The Library Search (Articles+Books+More) on the homepage includes the UW Libraries' catalogs and other databases, but it does NOT search the MLA International Bibliography.

To search the EBSCO databases simultaneously, click on one, then click on Choose Databases above the search box and select the database(s) you want to use.

Library catalogs and some databases use subject terms to bring together all the works on a particular topic, regardless of the words or phrases authors use. Unlike keywords, subject terms are rarely intuitive. This is a list of selected subject terms related to linguistics and language change. Try using them alone or in combination with each other or other keywords when you search the UW Libraries.

• Language and the Internet.
• English language -- 21st century.
• Social media -- Semiotics.
• English language
• Linguistic change
• Linguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Syntax
• Grammar
• English Language – Spoken English

Selected call-number ranges that might be useful if you browse for books:

P = Philology. Linguistics
P1–85 = General
P87–96 = Communication. Mass media

• P95–95.6 = Oral communication. Speech

P99–99.4 = Semiotics. Signs and symbols
P101–410 = Language. Linguistic theory. Comparative grammar

• P121–149 = Science of language (Linguistics)
• P301–301.5 = Style. Composition. Rhetoric
• P321–324.5 = Etymology
• P325–325.5 = Semantics
• P326–327.5 = Lexicology and lexicography

P501–769 = Indo-European (Indo-Germanic) philology
P901–1091 = Extinct ancient or medieval languages

PE = English Language
PE101–(458) = Anglo-Saxon. Old English
PE501–(693) = Middle English
PE(814)–896 = Early Modern English
PE1001–1693 = Modern English
PE1700–3602 = Dialects. Provincialisms, etc.
PE3701–3729 = Slang. Argot, etc.

The Library of Congress has a detailed more detailed guide with a breakdown of call numbers.

Unless stated otherwise, these links lead to tables of contents you can browse. To search within these journals, use the journal title as one of your search terms in a database. Note that recent issues may be under embargo, which means you'll have to use interlibrary loan to request any articles that sound interesting.