With more than 100 original contributions authored by widely acclaimed specialists in the field, this two-volume handbook is by far the most comprehensive reference work on phonology and the first-ever comprehensive overview of the morphology and syntax of varieties of English in the world. It covers all main national standard varieties, distinctive regional, ethnic, and social varieties, major contact varieties, as well as major ESL varieties. The contributions are descriptive survey articles with a common core, which makes the handbook invaluable from cross-dialectal and cross-linguistic perspectives. The contributions provide information on the historical and cultural backgrounds as well as the current sociolinguistic situations, and provide state-of-the-art reports on major issues in current research. The handbook is accompanied by a CD-ROM providing new sound material for each variety as well as interactive maps. It also includes comprehensive bibliographies and links to relevant websites. Together, the handbook and the CD-ROM are an indispensable reference work and research tool for sociolinguists, dialectologists, phonologists, grammarians, typologists, and specialists in contact languages and varieties of English around the world. Given its accessible style and its rich auditory and visual support, this handbook is also ideally suited for undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The editors are responsible for the following topics: · Kate Burridge/ Bernd Kortmann: Australia / Pacific Archipelagos · Bernd Kortmann: British Isles: Morphology and Syntax · Rajend Mesthrie: Africa / South and Southeast Asia · Edgar W. Schneider: The Americas / Caribbean · Clive Upton: British Isles: Phonology