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My sister slept with the light on until she was 27. She rightfully blames me. I would leap out of closets with my hands made into claws. I would... Continue »

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Benjamin PercyBenjamin Percy 9781455501663

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Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English

by John Mcwhorter

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Read posts by John McWhorter on the Powells.com blog
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ISBN13: 9781592404940
ISBN10: 1592404944
Condition: Standard
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A survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar

Why do we say aI am reading a cataloga instead of aI read a cataloga? Why do we say adoa at all? Is the way we speak a reflection of our cultural values? Delving into these provocative topics and more, Our Magnificent Bastard Language 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 Englisha 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, itas not a sin to end a sentence with a preposition).

About the Author

John McWhorter is the author of The Power of Babel and numerous other acclaimed books. A senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor to The New Republic, he has taught linguistics at the University of California at Berkeley and has been widely profiled in the media.

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: Andy the G, January 1, 2011 (view all comments by Andy the G)
This book covers the most likely reasons that the English language is so different from the Romance and the more commonly spoken European languages. The author does cover alternative reasons for the language origins and provides cogent arguments against them. It is written to make for riveting reading.
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Product Details

ISBN:: 9781592404940
Author:: Mcwhorter, John
Publisher:: Gotham Books
Author:: McWhorter, John
Subject:: Etymology
Subject:: Linguistics - Etymology
Subject:: Reference-Etymology
Edition Description:: Mass Market
Publication Date:: 20091031
Binding:: TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:: from 12
Language:: English
Pages:: 256
Dimensions:: 7.22x5.02x.68 in. .38 lbs.
Age Level:: 17-17

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Related Subjects

History and Social Science » Anthropology » Linguistics
History and Social Science » Linguistics » English Linguistics and Dialects
History and Social Science » Linguistics » General
Reference » Etymology

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