This is the completely revised, updated and enlarged 2nd edition of a classic textbook widely used at German universities for more than 20 years. It serves both as an introduction for beginners and as a companion for more advanced students, familiarizing its readers with the major and distinctive properties of English and its major varieties, including an in-depth structural comparison with German. Written in an accessible style and with many reader- friendly features (including checklists with key terms, basic and advanced exercises with solutions), the book offers a state-of-the-art-survey of English linguistics as practiced in the 21st century.