Class by Name and Number in Eighteenth-Century Britain (original) (raw)

This paper explores the dynamic interplay of social terminology and class distinctions in eighteenth-century Britain. It highlights the fluidity of language during this period, marked by the emergence of new vocabulary and concepts due to social changes, alongside the efforts to standardize language through dictionaries and proposals for academies. The study underscores how varying dichotomous classifications such as high/low and rich/poor reflected the complex social fabric of the time, impacting both academic discourse and public perception.