Hammond's book is the volume on English in the series The Phonology of the
World's Languages; and therein lies an inevitable problem. Writing a contribution for a series with as many definite articles as this one, and on English,
which like it or not, and with no disrespect to the less attended-to languages of
the world, has been the focus of quite disproportionate phonological attention,
is for anyone a rather daunting task. This means that there is even more
literature to review than usual in a book of this kind, and more controversies to
be embroiled in; and in consequence, there will inevitably be restrictions in
coverage. What matters, then, is that the author must set out what he intends
to do, be consistent with that, and explain his choices in terms of those entirely
inevitable restrictions. Although this book has many good points, it often seems
that Hammond does not actually carry through his stated intentions, or justify
the choices he has made as cogently as might be hoped.
On What Matters, Volume III, by DerekParfit. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017, xiv + 468 pp. ISBN 9780198778608. hb. £25.00
