Books » Arts & Photography » Language Arts » Linguistics
The Mother TongueBy Bill Bryson
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| $31.99 $29.97 Save $2.02 (6%) | Rating: | | | Format: | Paperback, 272 pages | | Published In: | United States, September 1991 |
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 The author of the acclaimed The Lost Continent now steers us through the quirks and byways of the English language. We learn why island, freight, and colonel are spelled in such unphonetic ways, why four has a u in it but forty doesn't, plus bizarre and enlightening facts about some of the patriarchs of this peculiar language. From The Publisher: With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson--the acclaimed author of "The Lost Continent"--brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't), to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries. |
| Publisher: | Harper Perennial | | ISBN: | 0380715430 |
| EAN: | 9780380715435 | | Dimensions: | 20.22 x 13.51 x 1.65 centimeters (0.20 kg) |
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 – Customer review on 18/03/2009
This is one of those books you have to have in your own bookshelf! It was lent to me and I could not put it down - it's brilliant and funny.
The language is easy to read, even though it is all about how crazy and unorganised the English language is. I laughed and had lots of ooohh and aahhh moments as I read this man's experience of trying to teach others our mother tongue.
I found it has improved my ability to impart language skills onto students, through a new awareness of how silly some of the words we use are.
An excellent reference book, and excellent light read, and unlimited humour. Thoroughly recommend this book to everyone!
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– Customer review on 19/05/2008
This is one of the most entertaining and informative books on the English language I have ever read – it is certainly the funniest. Bill Bryson is a smooth, highly readable writer and his exploration of the English language – looking at its history, the use of words (even the development of swear words if you’re interested in that), borrowings from other languages – is utterly fascinating. If you are not normally the sort of person interested in language in this way, then this is the book to read. Highly entertaining, and very funny in many places. One of my favourite books.
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