Preface and acknowledgements
Abbreviations

Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1. Introduction
1.2. The language of the letters
1.3. A sociolinguistic analysis
1.4. Jane Austen's language
1.5 A single-author, focussed corpus
1.6. The wider perspective

Chapter 2. Letter-writing
2.1. Introduction
2.2. The surviving letters and those that were lost
2.3. Letter-writing materials
2.4. The postal system
2.5. Letter-writing: a social activity
2.6. Being dependent on the post

Chapter 3. A social network of letter writers
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Jane Austen's correspondents
3.3. Letter-writing formulas
3.3.1. An index of formality?
3.3.2. Opening formulas
3.3.3. Closing formulas
3.3.4. Dating and signing letters
3.4. The correspondence network and the lost letters

Chapter 4. The letters as a corpus
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Types of letters
4.3 Self-corrections
4.4 Short forms
4.5 Dashes and capitalisation
4.6 Two corpora for analysis

Chapter 5. The language of the letters: Spelling
5.1. Introduction
5.2 A dual spelling system
5.3. Epistolary spelling in the letters
5.3.1. Tho' and thro'
5.3.2. Older spellings
5.3.3. Other epistolary spelling features
5.4. More variable spelling features
5.5. Problems with the apostrophe
5.6. Spelling as evidence of pronunciation
5.7. A consistent if idiosyncratic speller

Chapter 6. The language of the letters: Words
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Jane Austen in the OED
6.3. Creative language use
6.4. Vulgar words and intensifiers
6.5. Linguistic involvement
6.6. Referring to close relatives
6.7. Jane Austen's linguistic fingerprint?

Chapter 7. The language of the letters: Grammar
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Developing grammatical awareness
7.3. Variable grammar in the letters
7.4. Verbal -ing forms
7.5. Changing grammar

Chapter 8. Authorial identity
8.1. Introduction
8.2. The discarded Persuasion chapters
8.3. Different house styles for Mansfield Park?
8.4. Dating The Watsons
8.5. Why analysing spelling matters

Chapter 9. Conclusion

Appendix 1. Letters referred to in the text
Appendix 2. Letters (sent and received) referred to by Jane Austen
Appendix 3. Transcription of letter 139
Appendix 4. Jane Austen's epistolary network

References