Synopses & Reviews
English has fast become the number one language for everything from business and science, diplomacy and education, entertainment and environmentalism to socializing and beyondand#8212;virtually any human activity unfolding on a global scale. Worldwide, nonnative speakers of English now outnumber natives three to one; and in China alone, more people use English than in the United Statesand#8212;a remarkable feat for a language that got its start as a mongrel tongue on an island fifteen hundred years ago. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Through the fascinating stories of thirty English words used and understood in nearly all corners of the globe, andlt;iandgt;The English Is Coming! andlt;/iandgt;takes readers on an eye-opening journey across culture and commerce, war and peace, and time and space. These mini-histories shed new light on everyday words: the strange turns of fate by which their meanings evolved and their new roles as the building blocks of the first language ever to forge a global community. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Exploring such familiar terms as andlt;iandgt;shampoo andlt;/iandgt;(from a Hindi word for scalp and body hygiene long practiced in India); andlt;iandgt;robot andlt;/iandgt;(coined by Czech painter Josef Capek for his brother Kareland#8217;s 1921 play about man-made creatures); andlt;iandgt;credit andlt;/iandgt;(rooted in a prehistoric phrase of sacred significance: "to put heart into"); and dozens of others, Dunton-Downer reveals with clarity and humor how these linguistic artifacts embody the resilience, appeal, adoptability, and wild inclusiveness that English, through a series of historical accidents, gained on its road to worldwide reach. These words explain not only how English has managed to link our distant and often disparate pasts but also how it is propelling humankind to a future that we can, for the first time, talk about and shape in a language that now belongs to all of us: Global English. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Perfect for culture buffs, armchair travelers, and language lovers alike, andlt;iandgt;The English Is Coming! andlt;/iandgt;is sure to inspire truly global conversations for decades to come.
Review
and#8220;You donand#8217;t have to be a and#8216;word personand#8217; to find Leslie Dunton-Downerand#8217;s book engaging, illuminating, and even exciting. With ingenious analogies and a healthy dose of humor, she gives us a timely look at the English languageand#8212;past, present, and futureand#8212;thatand#8217;s full of surprising insights and unexpected fun.and#8221; and#8212;andlt;bandgt;Kitty Burns Florey, author of andlt;iandgt;Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentencesandlt;/iandgt;andlt;/bandgt;andlt;iandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Review
"A fascinating intellectual romp through the past and the future of the English language.andnbsp; Like the best cocktail party conversation youand#8217;ve ever had, this book is smart, engaging, unpredictable, and leaves you wantingandnbsp; more.andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp; Leslie Dunton-Downer has created a masterpiece.andnbsp; If you like words, you will love this book."andnbsp; and#8212;andlt;Bandgt;Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of andlt;Iandgt;Freakonomicsandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;
Review
and#8220;With fresh wit and original research, andlt;Iandgt;The English Is Coming!andlt;/Iandgt; beckons the reader on a global safari of English. Both casual tourists and experienced hands will delight in stories that surprise on almost every page. Tracking expertly between the past and the present, between linguistic details and global history, Leslie Dunton-Downer ends with a tantalizing glimpse into that most elusive quarryand#8212;the future of English.and#8221; andlt;Bandgt;and#8212;Daniel Donoghue, John P. Marquand Professor of English, Harvard University and author of andlt;Iandgt;Lady Godiva: A Literary History of the Legendandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;
Review
"Dunton-Downer is persuasive and, better yet, entertaining. She's an affable and learned guide to the history and future of Global English.
Review
"Chockablock with facts, figures and interesting tidbits, this is no stodgy history lesson. " andlt;iandgt;andlt;Bandgt;and#8212;The Washington Postandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;[Dunton-Downer] explores how the spread of English has led the language, and its speakers, down some fascinating pathsand#8212;with intense implications for Englishand#8217;s future. . . Strongly recommended.and#8221; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Library Journalandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Review
"An ardent, spirited look at what is increasingly considered the worldand#8217;s language." and#8212;andlt;iandgt;andlt;bandgt;Kirkus Reviewsandlt;/bandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Review
andlt;divandgt;"Dunton-Downer is persuasive and, better yet, entertaining. She's an affable and learned guide to the history and future of Global English.
Review
and#8220;Dunton-Downer is persuasive and, better yet, entertaining. Sheand#8217;s an affable and learned guide to the history and future of Global English. Her skillful, humorous and thoroughly absorbing book shows us that the English language has always been polyglot, and it continues to evolve into a mirror for our global community.and#8221; andlt;Bandgt;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;BookPageandlt;/iandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;
Synopsis
Dunton-Downer offers a lively look at the history of the English language through an in-depth study of 50 words that are now part of the global lexicon.
Synopsis
A lively look at the history of the English language through an in-depth study of 50 words that are now part of the global lexicon.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;Leslie Dunton-Downer andlt;/bandgt;earned a BA, with specialization in Ancient Greek, from Harvard, where she returned for a Ph.D. with distinction in Comparative Literature.andnbsp; Her graduate work focused on English and other languages and literatures of western medieval Europe.andnbsp; Dunton-Downer coauthored the acclaimed andlt;iandgt;Essential Shakespeare Handbookandlt;/iandgt; and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.