This volume investigates the mechanisms of linguistic change and the motivations behind shifts across all components of grammar and lexicon. D. Gary Miller, a scholar in historical linguistics, argues that language change is a natural process that occurs within successive formal grammars. The text addresses the lack of a grand unification theory in linguistics by providing a comprehensive framework for analyzing how and why languages evolve over time.

Experts recognize this work as a rigorous and detailed examination of the mechanics of linguistic evolution. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a specialized resource for advanced students and researchers in the field.