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Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold Story of English
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue The Untold Story of English
Author: John McWhorter
A survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar — Why do we say ?I am reading a catalog? instead of ?I read a catalog?? Why do we say ?do? at all? Is the way we speak a reflection of our cultural values? Delving into these provocative topics and more, Our Magnificent Bastard L...  more » distills hundreds of years of fascinating lore into one lively history.

Covering such turning points as the little-known Celtic and Welsh influences on English, the impact of the Viking raids and the Norman Conquest, and the Germanic invasions that started it all during the fifth century ad, John McWhorter narrates this colorful evolution with vigor. Drawing on revolutionary genetic and linguistic research as well as a cache of remarkable trivia about the origins of English words and syntax patterns, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue ultimately demonstrates the arbitrary, maddening nature of English? and its ironic simplicity due to its role as a streamlined lingua franca during the early formation of Britain. This is the book that language aficionados worldwide have been waiting for (and no, it?s not a sin to end a sentence with a preposition).
ISBN-13: 9781592403950
ISBN-10: 1592403956
Publication Date: 10/30/2008
Pages: 256
Rating:
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 13
4.3 stars, based on 13 ratings
Publisher: Gotham
Book Type: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 3
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