Dialect, slang and jargon Books

Book SynopsisThis book guides the reader through a land where the road to hell is paved not with good intentions, but with cobbles. This is a place where all the world is a stage, unless you are a one-day specialist. Where its inhabitants come with a litany of arresting nicknames - Badgers, Cannibals, Eagles, Pirates - each with a wonderful story of their own.

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Book Synopsis'It's fantastic ... Exactly the book that everybody needs...' Simon Mayo_____Sometimes we all need a little reminder that it's going to be okay... Open The Cabinet of Calm to discover a comforting word that's equal to your troubles.The Cabinet of Calm has been designed to be picked up whenever you need a moment of serenity. Just select the emotion listed that reflects whatever you're feeling and you'll be offered a matching linguistic remedy: fifty-one soothing words for troubled times.These kind words - alongside their definitions and their stories - will bring peace, comfort and delight, and provide fresh hope.Written with a lightness of touch, The Cabinet of Calm shows us that we're not alone. Like language, our emotions are universal: someone else has felt like this before and so there's a word to help, whatever the challenge.So much more than a book of words, The Cabinet of Calm will soothe your soul and ease your mind. It's the perfect gift._____From inside The Cabinet Of Calm...'RESPAIR': a word for a renewed or reinvigorated hope, or a recovery from anguish or hopelessness.'WORLDCRAFT': a collective term for the unique skills, wisdom and experience that an older person has amassed in their lifetime.'MELIORISM': the belief that all things, no matter how bad, can always be improved - given enough determination from people willing to improve them.'SYMMACHY': the act of joining or working together to produce a stronger force than could ever be managed individually - especially in order to overcome something that affects us all.

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Book SynopsisOnce upon a time, the worst words you could utter were short, simple and tended to be four letters in length. Now things are more complicated. To be insulted as a ''snowflake'' or an ''expert'' is arguably worse than being called a **** or a **** or even a ****.So what are today''s ''bad words'' and how are they different from yesterday''s taboo expressions? This entertaining guide to the shifting sands of bad language is indispensable in an increasingly divided world in which abuse becomes ever more widespread and vituperative.Philip Gooden shows how and why taboo words and contentious expressions, including those four-letter ones, were first used in English. He discusses the ways such words have changed over the years and explores how a single syllable or two may possess an almost magical power to offend, distress or infuriate.Bad Words investigates the most controversial and provocative words in the English language in a way that is both anecdotal Trade Review". . . while the low-hanging sound of 'bollocks' seems to imitate the thing it describes." If that low-hanging sound is music to your ears, Bad Words has plenty. * Times Literary Supplement *From the article 'Sticks and Stones' in The Economist, titled 'The polarisation of politics has led to a new lexicon of insults' in the online edition. 'A watershed moment has arrived: traditional taboo words, pertaining to the body and excrement, no longer have the punch of group-based insults related to sex, disabilities and other such qualities, about which Western societies are increasingly sensitive. (Race-based gibes have been anathema for a while.)'The evolution of insults is the subject of Philip Gooden's new book, Bad Words. He recounts in one neat reversal the turn in the history of invective. The Sun, a British tabloid, was once in the habit of outing gay people, and even publicly defended its use of "poof" in doing so (because, the paper argued, its readers used the word, too). How times change. After abandoning the practice of outing in 1998, in 2018 the paper led a campaign to track down a bus-driver who called a reality-show star a "poofter". What it once considered lighthearted banter is now verboten homophobia.' -- Johnson * The Economist *

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Book Synopsis''A persuasive and beautifully written take on how languages are constantly evolving... an enthralling read about human psychology and anthropology as well as linguistics.'' ALEX BELLOS___________________________________''Language is mankind''s greatest invention - except of course, that it was never invented''. So begins Guy Deutscher''s fascinating investigation into the evolution of language. No one believes that the Roman Senate sat down one day to design the complex system that is Latin grammar, and few believe, these days, in the literal truth of the story of the Tower of Babel. But then how did there come to be so many languages, and of such elaborate design? If we started off with rudimentary utterances on the level of ''man throw spear'', how did we end up with sophisticated grammars, enormous vocabularies, and intricately nuanced shades of meaning?Drawing on recent, groundbreaking discoveries in modern linguistics, Deutscher exposes the elusive forces of creation at work in human communication. Along the way, we learn why German maidens are neuter while German turnips are female, why we have feet not foots, and how great changes in pronunciation may result from simple laziness..._____________________''Powerful and thrilling'' SPECTATOR''Really ought to be read by anyone who persists in complaining that the English language is going to the dogs'' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH''I was enthralled'' A.S. Byatt, for GUARDIAN ''Books of the Year''''Highly original... clever and convincing... this book will stretch your mind'' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY''Fascinating'' BOSTON GLOBETrade Review'Highly original... Brilliant... How did...regular and complex languages come to exist? Deutscher's chosen task is to unravel [a] paradox, and he does so brilliantly, witholding the secret with great skill. If I told you how it works, you wouldn't buy the book. Both clever and convincing... this book will stretch your mind' Independent on Sunday'I was enthralled by Guy Deutscher's The Unfolding of Language, a history of how words came to take the forms they do, and therefore a history of the forms of the human mind.' * A.S. Byatt in the Guardian 'Books of the Year *Fascinating... Any curious reader...will find something worth knowing in The Unfolding of Language' * Boston Globe *

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Book Synopsis"Guy Deutscher is that rare beast, an academic who talks good sense about linguistics... he argues in a playful and provocative way, that our mother tongue does indeed affect how we think and, just as important, how we perceive the world." Observer *Does language reflect the culture of a society? *Is our mother-tongue a lens through which we perceive the world? *Can different languages lead their speakers to different thoughts? In Through the Language Glass, acclaimed author Guy Deutscher will convince you that, contrary to the fashionable academic consensus of today, the answer to all these questions is - yes. A delightful amalgam of cultural history and popular science, this book explores some of the most fascinating and controversial questions about language, culture and the human mind.Trade ReviewJaw-droppingly wonderful ... A marvellous and surprising book which left me breathless and dizzy with delight. The ironic, playful tone at the beginning gradates into something serious that is never pompous, intellectually and historically complex and yet always pellucidly laid out. Plus I learned the word plaidoyer which I shall do my utmost to use every day * Stephen Fry *Fabulously interesting ... a remarkably rich, provocative and intelligent work of pop science * Sunday Times *Brilliant [and] beautifully written * Financial Times *So robustly researched and wonderfully told that it is hard to put down * New Scientist *A delight to read * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisEssential study guides for the future linguist. Attitudes to Language is an introduction to the facts and fallacies behind our beliefs about ''good English''. It is suitable for advanced level students and beyond. Written with input from the Cambridge English Corpus, it looks at contemporary attitudes to language, the role of technology, language variation ? such as accents and dialects ? and frameworks for analysing how people use language to discuss language. Using activities to explain analysis methods, this book guides students through modern issues and concepts. It summarises key concerns and modern findings, while providing inspiration for language investigations and non-examined assessments (NEAs) with research suggestions.Table of Contents1. Arguments about English: 1.1. How we feel about language; 1.2. Standard English; 1.3. Non-Standard English; 1.4. The origins of Standard English; 1.5. The development of Standard English; 1.6. Complaints about English; 1.7. Changing English; 2. Technology and language: 2.1. Technology and language change; 2.2. Technology and new words; 2.3. Attitudes to texting; 2.4. Attitudes to other forms of CMC; 2.5. Emoji; 3. Attitudes to language variation: 3.1. Variation: what it is and what it ain't; 3.2. Attitudes to regional variation; 3.3. Attitudes to other varieties; 4. Language discourses: 4.1. Analysing language discourses; 4.2. Describing language; 4.3. A language toolkit; 4.4. Further exploration and investigation; Ideas and answers; References.

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Book SynopsisThe definition of slang according to the Oxford Dictionary is'a type of language consisting of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal are more common in speech than in writing and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people'. Thus, the choice of a phrase, or the use of 'jargon', a saying, or abbreviation, can accurately reflect our links to a specific place, employment or situations that impact upon us in our everyday lives. In the UK alone it is estimated that there are at least fifty-six regional interpretations of how we use English to convey our feelings and to communicate with one another. This little book contains some 2,000 such phrases, sayings and abbreviations drawn together, in the main,from the experiences of one family. It manifestly displays what a diverse world we now live in as families transcend different cultures and countries. It is not an academic study, rather it is designed to promote memories, to enable reflection on previous life experiences and, above all else, to simply have some fun whilst reading it. Preserving our past whilst understanding the present helps us to create history for the future as new generations go on to create their own versions of 'slang' applicable to that period. 'Ta-Ra-A-Bit'.

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Book SynopsisThis dictionary defines a myriad of phrases and sayings that are used daily in the English language. It contains more than 10,000 idioms, including figurative expressions, similes, sayings, and proverbs, and features usage examples and information on origins for many of them.Trade ReviewI'm impressed with this book ... it has, so far, delivered the goods every time I've consulted it about a particular expression ... A brilliant addition to your reference collection * Terry Freedman, Writer's Know-How *Table of ContentsPreface A-Z Text Thematic Index

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Book SynopsisHow on earth did 'with bells on' come to express enthusiasm? What do chips on shoulders have to do with inferiority complexes? ... And who is the face that launched a thousand ships? Spilling the Beans on the Cat's Pyjamas provides us with the meanings of these well-worn and much-loved phrases by putting these linguistic quirks in context, and explaining how and why they were first used. For example, did you know that 'the rule of thumb' refers to the use of the thumb to make measurements, as the first joint of the average adult thumb measures one inch?Absorbing, diverting and fascinating - as far as gift books go, Spilling the Beans really is the bee's knees!Trade ReviewIf you'd like to know the origins of some of our most baffling phrases, take a look at this * Daily Express *Provides a wealth of fascinating facts about the meaning and origin of phrases we use every day... With every page guaranteed to entertain and inform, this really is the bee's knees when it comes to the perfect gift! * Lancashire Evening Post *Reveals the origins and meanings of some of the most popular and obscure sayings we use today * Daily Mirror *

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Book SynopsisSpoken by over 700 million jabbering individuals, the English language has travelled to all corners of the globe – unfortunately, some of it has got a bit muddled along the way ...Lost in Translation: Misadventures in English Abroad affectionately demonstrates the very best – and worst – instances of genuine grammar-gargling from around the world, discovered by the author and his intrepid team of researchers. It includes everything from hilarious hotel signs to baffling advertisements, such as the German beauty product offering a 'cream shower for pretentious skin', the notice at a French swiming pool which proclaimed that 'swimming is forbidden in the absence of the saviour', or the warning sign at a Czech zoo which instructed visitors: 'No smoothen the lion'.Trade ReviewVery funny [and] beautifully illustrated * The Spectator *A wonderful collection of recent outrageous howlers from all over the world * Irish Independent *

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Book SynopsisDrawing on the unique resources of the Oxford English Dictionary and offering coverage of over 6,000 slang words and expressions from the Cockney ''abaht'' to the American term ''zowie'', this is the most authoritative dictionary of slang from the 20th and 21st centuries. The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang is a fascinating and entertaining collection, packed with illustrative quotations and providing full details of origins and dates of first printed use. The text contains expressions from around the English-speaking world such as ''dork'' and ''cockamamie'' (North America) and ''giggle-house'' and ''Jimmy Woodser'' (Australia). As well as the A-Z listing of terms, the book contains a comprehensive thematic index, enabling users to home in on particular areas of interest, such as the body, food and drink, and human behaviour. Full of surprises, this is an essential read for word lovers and anyone with an interest in language.Trade ReviewThis book is a gab-fest. * Christopher Hirst, The Independent *Table of ContentsPREFACE TO SECOND EDITION; INTRODUCTION TO FIRST EDITION; PRONUNCIATION SYMBOLS; PRINCIPAL ABBREVIATIONS; DICTIONARY; THEMATIC INDEX

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Book SynopsisFrom Today programme presenter and national treasure John Humphrys, the bestselling cry in book form for better English and an exposé of the political uses and abuses of language.Trade ReviewHumphrys is passionate about language - and very funny too * Rod Liddle *Greatly enjoyable * Simon Hoggart, Guardian *for all those who care about the English language * Ann Widdecombe, New Statesman *It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think * Jonathan Keates, Spectator *Timely and lively * Sunday Telegraph *Let us be very clear about this from the start: John Humphrys is a Good Thing * Evening Standard *the Jack Russell of the Today programme has now chosen to take some well aimed snaps at solecism, jargon, cliche and weasel words... It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think * Spectator *I commend Citizen Humphrys * Daily Mail *You will have fun with this book * Guardian *an exquisite sensitivity to the misuse of the English language * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisRhyming slang is a subject of perennial interest to the general language-conscious public. Entries are arranged in subject areas, such as clothing, food and drink, and animals. John Ayto explores the range and development of rhyming slang during its 150 year history, from traditional Cockney Rhyming Slang to the popney rhyming slang of today.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition An exemplary piece of editing . . . Ayto's book is the best and most entertaining so far * The Spectator *Covers virtually every aspect of the human condition * Evening Standard *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; THEMATIC SECTIONS; INDEX

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Book SynopsisA pocket guide to Geordie, the English regional dialect spoken in Newcastle and on the banks of the river Tyne in the north-east of England.

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Book SynopsisScots: The Mither Tongue is a classic of contemporary Scottish culture and essential reading for those who care about their country's identity in the twenty-first century. It is a passionately written history of how the Scots have come to speak the way they do and has acted as a catalyst for radical changes in attitude towards the language. In this completely revised edition, Kay vigorously renews the social, cultural and political debate on Scotland's linguistic future, and argues convincingly for the necessity to retain and extend Scots if the nation is to hold on to its intrinsic values. Kay places Scots in an international context, comparing and contrasting it with other lesser-used European languages, while at home questioning the Scottish Executive's desire to pay anything more than lip service to this crucial part of our national identity. Language is central to people's existence, and this vivid account celebrates the survival of Scots in its various dialects, its literature and song. The mither tongue is a national treasure that thrives in many parts of the country and underpins the speech of everyone who calls themselves a Scot.Trade ReviewThe Scots tongue, like most of the world's minority languages, is under pressure and Billy Kay in this excellent and cogent survey draws together the strands of our concern * Daily Express *Kay is the best writer on his own language I have read since Burchfield on English; his book should be put in schools, for it is capably seditious * The Herald *Moving, delightful, even inspiring * Edinburgh Review *It is not the kind of dry academic tome so cherished by linguistic nitpickers, but a bright, radical examination of the language which is at the heart of our existence * Aberdeen Press and Journal *A fresh and invigorating overview of a fascinating subject * Stirling Observer *

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Book SynopsisForget the boring stuff you learned in school. Here’s the REAL skinny on Irish history. Invasions, Emergencies, one Big Rising, all sorts of Troubles; the Siege of Limerick (continuing), Paddy of the Snakes, Niall of the Nine Hostages, The Big Fella, The Long Fella, Aer Lingus and the Flight of the Earls, Daniel O’Connell, Wolfe Tone and other singers, Gun-running at Howth, Wind-surfing at Lahinch; the IRB, the IRA, the EEC, the GAA, the Celtic Tiger, RIP. With illustrations that put the Book of Kells in the ha’penny place.Trade Review'the 10th book in O’Brien’s best-selling Feckin’ series' -- Irish Independent'like its forerunners it’s a riot' -- Irish Independent'hilarious' -- Books Ireland

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Book SynopsisFind out what the gaeilgeoir means when he/she uses the Irish words for ‘nerdy’, ‘well-hung’, ‘effing and blinding’, ‘slimeball’ or ‘drop-dead-gorgeous’? It’s all there, with numerous entries under the letters C and F. Already a cult hit, Kiss My... will appeal to the Irish-language student and the open-minded traveller alike.

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Book SynopsisMost of us are aware that words such as geometry, mathematics, phobia and hypochondria derive from ancient Greek, but did you know that marmalade, pirate, sketch and purse can also trace their linguistic origins back to the Athens of 500 bce? This book offers a word-by-word look at the influence of Greek on everyday words in English, telling the stories behind the etymological developments of each example and tracing their routes into modern English via Latin and European languages. It also explains connections with ancient Greek culture, in particular mythology, politics and warfare, and includes proverbs and quotations from Greek literature. Taken together, these words show how we are deeply indebted to the language spoken in Athens 2,500 years ago for the everyday vocabulary we use when conducting our daily business.Trade Review'This book is an etymologist's dream.' * Training Language and Culture *

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Book SynopsisThe Pocket Scots Dictionary, based on the Concise Scots Dictionary, provides information on Scots language for the general public and for schools in a compact and user-friendly form. * Scots words old and new, general and local * Clear, simple definitions * Pronunciation guide for difficult words * Literary uses as in Burns and Scott * Brief history of Scots

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Book SynopsisIt's not what you say, it's the way that you say it ... There have long been debates about 'correct' pronunciation in the English language, and Britain's most distinguished linguistic expert, David Crystal, is here to set the record straight. Sounds Appealing tells us exactly why, and how, we pronounce words as we do. Pronunciation is integral to communication, and is tailored to meet the demands of the two main forces behind language: intelligibility and identity. Equipping his readers with knowledge of phonetics, linguistics and physiology - with examples ranging from Eliza Doolittle to Winston Churchill - David Crystal explores the origins of regional accents, how they are influenced by class and education, and how their peculiarities have changed over time.Trade ReviewPrevious praise for David Crystal: Crystal's book is full of distractions and delights * Daily Express *Refreshing and briskly written ... Crystal shows that grammar is not nearly as tedious as it can seem * Sunday Times *If the history of language is a sort of labyrinth, David Crystal is an excellent guide * The Age, Australia *Delicious revelations ... Crystal does an excellent job, not just of tracing the etymology of a word, but of relating it to social history, painting a picture of our times through words * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisA concise and entertaining guide to England's Scouse dialect, spoken in Liverpool and surrounding areas.

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Book SynopsisFor the 411 on American slang, this guidebook is the top bananaFrom "head trip" to "foot in mouth," American Slang Dictionary gives you the complete definitions of thousands of uniquely American words and phrases, ranging from golden oldies such as "catch some rays" and "take the fifth" to more up-to-the-minute coinages like Wall Street's "jonx," the Internet's "ping," and the gangsta's favorite, "shizzle."Inside you'll find more than 12,000 words and expressions from a wide variety of sources, including gangsta rap, the blogosphere, and the U.S. prison system. In a New York minute, you'll be down with the colloquialisms, vulgarities, and substandard English that make everyday interactions in contemporary American life so colorful.BSOD or blue screen of death the blue computer screen that appears after a programming or operational errorcrunk wild; crazy; out of controlkvetch to complainleft-handed monkey wrenchTable of ContentsHow to Use This DictionaryIntroductionTerms, Symbols, and AbbreviationsPronunication GuideDictionaryIndex of Hidden Key WordsThematic Index

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Book SynopsisAbackabeyont, bait-poke, drucken, fettle, guissie pigs, marra, nyen, plote, queen-cat, yem, zookers! If you enjoy finding out about dialect words - how and where and when they were used - and where they came from - this is the best guide to help you explore the world of North East dialect. This is the seminal dictionary of North East dialect.

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Book SynopsisPitmatic brings together a wonderful regional pit language - its words, jokes, stories and songs that are fast disappearing from our culture. This book helps attest to the remarkable vitality of the North East of England's dialect and the inventiveness and humour of its speakers.

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Book SynopsisThis Element documents the evolution of a research program that began in the early 1960s with the author's first investigation of language change on Martha's Vineyard. It traces the development of what has become the basic framework for studying language variation and change.Table of Contents1. Prologue: What this Element is about; 2. Growing up in New Jersey; 3. Martha's Vineyard: Donald Poole, Fisherman; 4. New York City: Rose Barisse, Garment Worker; 5. New York City: Michael Duffy, Fireman; 6. Rural Pennsylvania: Bill Peters, Farmer; 7. Rural Utah: Brad Anders, Dairy Farmer; 8. Hillsborough, North Carolina: Adolphus Hester, Farmer; 9. Knoxville, Tennessee: Louise Atkins, Domestic Worker; 10. East Atlanta: Henry Guyton, Railway Foreman; 11. Philadelphia Pennsylvania: Celeste Sweeney, Saleswoman; 12. Philadelphia Pennsylvania: Gloria Stein, Postal clerk; 13. Final Words; References.

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Book SynopsisA lively and informative collection of fifty common Egyptian colloquial expressions and proverbs, this book is must for learners of Arabic, language enthusiasts, and lovers of the country and its cultureThe idioms in this small, yet mighty, linguistic treasure trove have been put together to showcase the use of the Egyptian word illi, in itself a fascinating anomaly of the language as the only relative pronoun that exists in this dialect. Organized around their day-to-day linguistic function, each expression includes the original Arabic, a translation, an English equivalent or explanation, as well as whimsical illustrations.This book covers a wide array of meanings and contextspacked full of expressions that will console, threaten, encourage, and much moreand is sure to entertain and inform both lovers of language and Egypt enthusiasts.

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Book SynopsisThe almost incomprehensible wit and wonder of Irish slang words. Can you tell your bowsies from your gougers from your gurriers? No? Well, it's time to stop acting the maggot and find out, courtesy of this invaluable reference book that's been donkey's years in the making (only coddin').

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Book SynopsisKeep your swearing as fresh as a f*cking daisy with The Little Book of Profanities. There's nothing better than that perfect swear word. In a battle of wits, it can make all the difference. And, like all things in life, variety is the spice of swear words. Why call someone a d*ck, when a choad is so much more – satisfying. Stuffed with 100 of the obscene, offensive and outrageous swear words known to construction workers all over the world, The Little Book of Profanities encourages you to flex and stretch your foul-mouthed muscles so when that awesome opportunity to use a big, hairy curse word arises you're not hoisted by your own petard. In these uncertain and challenging times of political and social chaos, when all you want to do is shout obscenities at the world for being crap, The Little Book of Profanities is here to help you survive the day in style. Swearing – it's big, it's clever and anyone who thinks otherwise can f*ck off. 'The sort of twee person who thinks swearing is in any way a sign of a lack of education or a lack of verbal interest is just a f*cking lunatic.' Stephen Fry on the joy of swearing, as seen on theguardian.com, 20 August 2007, by Sam Wollaston. Fact: The word's etymology can be traced back to around 450AD when scite (dung), scitte (diarrhoea) and scitan (to defecate) were all thrown about. Sh*t evolved millennia later into schitte (excrement) and shiten (to defecate). Example: 'Life is a crap carnival with sh*t prizes.' - Stephen King. Table of ContentsMildly Wild • Lewd and Rude • Nasty But Nice • Savage Swears • Classic Curses • Obscenely Offensive • Profoundly Profane • Expletive Deleted • Bawdy and Blasphemous.

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Book SynopsisDialectologÃa hispÃnica / The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Dialectology es una obra coral que presenta las Ãltimas investigaciones sobre las variedades actuales de la lengua espanola en todas sus geografÃas, sumando los conocimientos de un importante nÃmero de especialistas en la materia.Este volumen consta de 49 capÃtulos, distribuidos en cuatro secciones, que ofrecen informaciÃn actualizada sobre la realidad dialectal del espanol y reflejan los conocimientos disponibles sobre la lengua y sus variedades. Este libro, amplio e innovador, explora el modo en que diversas especialidades lingÃÃsticas se interesan por la variaciÃn dialectal, desde la historia hasta la informÃtica, pasando por la fonÃtica, la gramÃtica y la lexicografÃa, entre otras disciplinas. Desde una interpretaciÃn multidimensional de los espacios dialectales, este manual asocia la variaciÃn geolingÃÃstica no sÃlo con la historia y la sociologÃa, sino tambiÃn con factores Ãtnicos, estilÃsticos y cognitivos.Esta obra es idÃnea para todos los investigadores interesados en la lingÃÃstica del espanol, la variaciÃn lingÃÃstica y el contacto de lenguas, asà como para estudiantes de grado y posgrado. En ella se explora en profundidad la dialectologÃa del espanol en todas las expresiones del espacio hispanohablante.DialectologÃa hispÃnica / The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Dialectology is a choral work that provides the latest research on the current varieties of the Spanish language in all its geographies, collating expertise from a wealth of leading scholars in the subject.This volume is comprised of 49 chapters, distributed in four sections, which offer up-to-date information on the dialectal reality of Spanish and reflect the knowledge available on the language and its varieties. This comprehensive and innovative book explores the way in which various linguistic specialities are interested in dialectal variation, from history to computer science, including phonetics, grammar and lexicography, among other disciplines. Displaying a commitment to a multidimensional view of dialectal spaces, this handbook associates geolinguistic variation not only with history and sociology, but also with ethnic, stylistic and cognitive factors.Presenting an in-depth exploration of Spanish dialectology in all its expressions across the Spanish-speaking space, this resource is ideal for all researchers interested in Spanish linguistics, linguistic variation and language contact, as well as for undergraduate and graduate students.

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Book SynopsisSlang, however one judges it, shows us at our most human. It is used widely and often, typically associated with the writers of noir fiction, teenagers, and rappers, but also found in the works of Shakespeare and Dickens. It has been recorded since at least 1500 AD, and today''s vocabulary, taken from every major English-speaking country, runs to over 125,000 slang words and phrases. This Very Short Introduction takes readers on a wide-ranging tour of this fascinating sub-set of the English language. It considers the meaning and origins of the word ''slang'' itself, the ideas that a make a word ''slang'', the long-running themes that run through slang, and the history of slang''s many dictionaries.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewa welcome edition of Oxford's Very Short Introductions, and anyone seeking an accessible tour d'horizon of this lively subject will find that Green's book is just the ticket. * Benjamin George Friedman, Times Literary Supplement *Table of Contents1. 'Slang': the word ; 2. 'Slang' as a linguistic register ; 3. Is slang a language? ; 4. The words of slang: themes and development ; 5. The users of slang ; 6. The components of slang ; 7. Recording slang ; 8. The lexicography of slang: slang's dictionaries ; 9. The future of slang

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Book SynopsisDialects introduces the many dialects of English spoken in the United Kingdom and reveals the key issues that dialectology engages with.Trade Review' ...Trudgill successfully distills the relatively complex field of dialectology down to the bare minimum for beginners.' - Linguist ListTable of ContentsHow to Use This Book. 1. Studying English Dialects 2. Posh and Less Posh Dialects 3. English in Many Shapes and Forms 4. Dialects – The Old and the New 5. Dialect Maps 6. What Dialect Maps Can Tell Us 7. How Dialect Boundaries Get to be Where They Are 8. Spot Your Dialect Area 9. Present Tense Verbs 10. Different Dialects, Different Grammar 11. Dialect Grammar – The Old and the New 12. Overdoing Things. Further Reading

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Book SynopsisObject Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. OK as a word accepts proposals, describes the world as satisfactory (but not good), provides conversational momentum, or even agrees (or disagrees). OK as an object, however, tells a story of how technology writes itself into language, permanently altering communication. OK is a young word, less than 200 years old. It began as an acronym for all correct when the steam-powered printing press pushed newspapers into the mainstream. Today it is spoken and written by nearly everyone in the world. Drawing on linguistics, history, and new media studies, Michelle McSweeney traces OK from its birth in the Penny Presses through telephone lines, grammar books, and television signals into the digital age. Nearly ubiquitous and often overlooked, OK illustrates the never-ending dance between language, technology, and culture, and offers lessons for our own techno-historical moment. ObjecTrade Review[A] slim and lucid addition to the Object Lessons series. . . . McSweeney traces the word's evolution through the present, illuminating the ways in which its meaning developed over time. * The Millions *More than just OK. . . . A quick and fascinating read. . . . Short, but mentally nutritious. * The DreamCage *A concise yet wide-ranging tour though the history of how technology has influenced the way we talk with each other. * Gretchen McCulloch, linguist and author of Because Internet *OK is more than just okay—it's the handiest and most up-to-date account of this mysterious yet deathless little expression available. Witness the history of something we say all day every day that's actually new enough that it would have left Thomas Jefferson scratching his head. * John McWhorter, Associate Professor of Linguistics, Columbia University, USA, author of Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter Then, Now and Forever and host of the podcast Lexicon Valley *Table of Contents1. Ok (Introduction) 2. Oll Korrect (Origins) 3. Ok? (Alternative Origins) Grains of Truth An Exotic Loanword Food 4. Olde Kinderhook (Branding) Ok Products 5. Okay (Literature) 6. Oh-kay (Telephone) A Modern Ok 7. Ok! (Television) Culture, Technology, and War 8. K (the Internet) Bulletin Board Systems 9. Kk (Social Media) English 10. [OK emoji] (Gesture) 11. O.k. Ok, Ok, Lol (Conclusion) Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis volume will provide a comprehensive yet accessible description of East Midlands English, an area of neglect in linguistic research. Existing publications, which aggregate the findings of earlier surveys and more recent localised studies presenting an overview of regional speech in the UK, are either lacking up-to-date research data from the East Midlands or simply ignore the region. A coordinated survey of dialects of the East Midlands was part of the Survey of English Dialects (SED) in the 1950s. This data is now over sixty years old and focuses almost exclusively on broad rural dialect speakers. This book will fill the knowledge and literature gaps by comparing vernacular speech in different urban and rural locations in the East Midlands, and examining whether the East Midlands is a 'transition zone' between the North and South. Recordings held by the British Library will be used, and will be supplemented with recordings made with local speakers. Language in the East Midland

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Book SynopsisThis book is the first full-scale scientific study of East Anglian English. The author is a native East Anglian sociolinguist and dialectologist who has devoted decades to the study of the speechways of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. He examines their relationships to other varieties of English in Britain, as well as their contributions to the formation of American English and Southern Hemisphere Englishes.

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Book SynopsisThe vocabulary of past times, no longer used in English, is always fascinating, especially when we see how it was pilloried by the satirists of the day. Here we have Victorian high and low society, with its fashionable and unfashionable slang, its class awareness and the jargon of steam engines, motor cars and other products of the Industrial Revolution. Then as now, people had strong feelings about the flood of new words entering English. Swearing, new street names and the many borrowings from French provoked continual irritation and mockery, as did the Americanisms increasingly encountered in the British press. In this intriguing collection, David Crystal has pored through the pages of the satirical magazine, Punch, between its first issue in 1841 and the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, and extracted the articles and cartoons that poked fun at the jargon of the day, adding a commentary on the context of the times and informative glossaries. In doing so he reveals how many present-day feelings about words have their origins over a century ago.

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Book SynopsisIncluded in the TLS Books of the Year 2023 Written by an author brought up in working-class Liverpool in the 1960s and 1970s, Liverpool: A Memoir of Words is a work of creative non-fiction that combines the study of language in Liverpool with social history, the history of the English language and personal memoir. A beautifully written book, based on a lifetime’s academic research, it explores the relationship between language and memory, and demonstrates the ways in which words are enmeshed in history and history in words. Starting with ‘Ace’ and weaving its way alphabetically to ‘Z-Cars’, the work illustrates the deep relationship that has been forged in the past two hundred years or so between a form of language, a place and a social identity. The account is funny, sad, full of surprises and always illuminating. It tells the real history of ‘Scouse’, details the multicultural complexity of Liverpool English, examines the common use of ‘plazzymorphs’, and shows how Liverpudlian words exemplify standard processes of change and development. Neither a memoir, dictionary or history book, this work crosses different fields of knowledge in order to weave an engaging and fascinating story. It is a book that will educate and delight Liverpudlians, students of language and social historians alike.Trade Review‘Liverpool is a city that treasures words. Here Tony Crowley joyfully opens the treasure chest and holds words up to the light of history, politics, memory and love. A gold mine of a book.’ Frank Cottrell-Boyce‘Both dazzlingly erudite and refreshingly readable, Tony Crowley’s book, which is part memoir and part cultural history, brings Scouse to life, showing us with abundant humour and grace the many ways we use language and language uses us.’ Professor Deryn Rees-Jones, University of Liverpool‘By means of a lexicon of keywords in Liverpudlian English, Tony Crowley is able to interweave personal, social and linguistic history, drawing upon native wit, etymological erudition and a remarkable recollection of childhood years. Shorn of condescension and prejudice, the Liverpool vernacular with which he grew up is analysed with an accentuated sense of time and place that historians can but admire. So much more than a personal memoir, here is a significant work on the social and cultural history of Liverpool, wondrous place.’ Professor John Belchem, University of Liverpool, author of Irish, Catholic and Scouse‘As a poet from “over-the-water”, Liverpool: A Memoir of Words offers an enjoyable exploration of vernacular language. Recognising the nuanced differences, edges and boundaries between localities within a city and its wider region, Tony Crowley places emphasis on variation and change, on the many-voiced reality of Merseyside, creating a perspective on the region which is both highly specific and yet coursing with the flow of historical tides. Language shifts as does identity, and by hearing and noting these linguistic changes an account is offered of how Liverpool and the wider region reimagines itself in response to its legacy as a port city and as a coastal landscape, of being of the land and always of the water.’ Dr Eleanor Rees, Liverpool Hope University‘Who has done the most for Liverpool – the Beatles, Ken Dodd, Wayne Rooney? In scholarship the answer has to be Tony Crowley… Touching, sceptical and massively well-informed, it’s an ace book, wackers.’ John Kerrigan, Times Literary SupplementTable of ContentsIntroduction: Our Common Language Ace Bommie Cash Dekko Easy Six Footy Gobshite Hard Ippies and Ozzies Jigger Kop Liverpool Mersey Nark Ollies Proddydog Queg Rozzer Scouse Togs Us Vaults Woollyback Xy Yonks Z-Cars

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Book SynopsisLas variedades del mundo hispano tiene un acercamiento nuevo a la dialectología española, ya que guía a los estudiantes por las macrovariedades fascinantes y diversas del mundo hispano.Un libro de texto único escrito en español que ofrece una introducción atractiva y accesible a la dialectología española, sus ámbitos claves incluyen: la cobertura de España, Sudamérica, Centroamérica, y Norteamérica; el libro de texto contiene una mezcla ideal de teoría y práctica; secciones de Práctica que contienen ejercicios para reforzar el aprendizaje; e incluye actividades que invitan a los estudiantes a explorar materiales de video y audio en el sitio web que acompaña el libro de texto. Además, el libro de texto incluye un componente de redes sociales que deja que los estudiantes aprendan en un formato que ha sido poco utilizado en cursos universitarios.Aunque principalmente fue diseñado para estudiantes de dialectología y fonética, tanto a nivel subgraduado como Table of ContentsUNIDAD 1: LOS ELEMENTOS BÁSICOS Y LA VARIACIÓN LECTAL EN ESPAÑA1. Introducción a la fonética y fonología españolas1.0 Introducción1.1 ¿Qué es el alfabeto fonético internacional?1.2 Fonética y fonología españolas1.3 La transcripción fonética1.4 Los inventarios de consonantes y vocales1.5 Contenido adicional1.6 Práctica2. La dialectología: la geografía e historia2.0 Introducción2.1 ¿Cómo se ve un mapa (lingüístico) del mundo hispano?2.2 Los países hispanohablantes y sus capitales2.3 La historia del español en España2.4 La historia del español en Latinoamérica2.5 Contenido adicional2.6 Práctica3. España: el centro-norteño3.0 Introducción3.1 ¿Por qué los españoles hablan con un sonido que suena como th en inglés?3.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas3.3 Las características morfosintácticas 3.4 Las características léxicas3.5 Contenido adicional3.6 Práctica4. España: el andaluz y el canario4.0 Introducción4.1 ¿Por qué no pronuncian la letra s al final de las palabras?4.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas4.3 Las características morfosintácticas 4.4 Las características léxicas4.5 Contenido adicional4.6 PrácticaUNIDAD 2: LAS MACROVARIEDADES EN NORTEAMÉRICA5. México5.0 Introducción5.1 ¿Por qué muchas palabras en México terminan en –ote?5.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas5.3 Las características morfosintácticas 5.4 Las características léxicas5.5 Contenido adicional5.6 Práctica6. Centroamérica6.0 Introducción6.1 ¿Por qué mis amigos de Guatemala me tratan de vos?6.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas6.3 Las características morfosintácticas 6.4 Las características léxicas6.5 Contenido adicional6.6 Práctica7. El Caribe7.0 Introducción7.1 ¿Por qué mi amigo dice hablal en vez de hablar?7.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas7.3 Las características morfosintácticas 7.4 Las características léxicas7.5 Contenido adicional7.6 Práctica8. El español en los EE. UU.8.0 Introducción8.1 ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre Spanglish y el español de los Estados Unidos?8.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas8.3 Las características morfosintácticas 8.4 Las características léxicas8.5 Contenido adicional8.6 PrácticaUNIDAD 3: LAS MACROVARIEDADES EN SUDAMÉRICA9. La región andina9.0 Introducción9.1 ¿Qué es ese sonido que oigo cuando dicen "ella compró el pollo"?9.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas9.3 Las características morfosintácticas 9.4 Las características léxicas9.5 Contenido adicional9.6 Práctica10. Río de la Plata10.0 Introducción10.1 ¿Por qué escucho un sonido como sh cuando dicen "Yo ya la llamé"?10.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas10.3 Las características morfosintácticas 10.4 Las características léxicas10.5 Contenido adicional10.6 Práctica11. La región central y sureña de Chile11.0 Introducción11.1 ¿Hay la forma de vosotros en Chile?11.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas11.3 Las características morfosintácticas 11.4 Las características léxicas11.5 Contenido adicional11.6 Práctica12. Paraguay12.0 Introducción12.1 Dado que el guaraní es un idioma oficial allí, ¿Cuál es la situación lingüística allí?12.2 Las características fonéticas y fonológicas12.3 Las características morfosintácticas 12.4 Las características léxicas12.5 Contenido adicional12.6 PrácticaEl epílogoE.0 Introducción al capítuloE.1 ¿Dónde se habla el español en el continente africano?E.2 Los territorios españoles en MarruecosE.3 La haketía E.4 El caso particular de GibraltarE.5 Guinea EcuatorialE.6 PrácticaLos apéndicesA1. El Alfabeto Fonético Internacional (AFI)A2. Los principales fonos (en AFI) del españolA3. ¡Mejoremos la pronunciación!A4. La acentuación en la ortografíaA5. La transcripción para más de una palabra

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of FiveBooks' Best Philosophy Books of 2019"

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Book SynopsisOne of the most distinctive characteristics of English is the number of words and phrases it has borrowed - and continues to borrow - from other languages, originally and most notably from Latin and French but now also from every corner of the globe. From the frequently used veranda and futon to the less familiar quinquennium and catenaccio, from the longstanding in vino veritas and vade mecum to the recent doosra and galactico, this highly informative reference book provides a revealing record of that remarkable story. With 6,000 detailed entries from aa to zut, this dictionary is the authoritative guide to foreign words and phrases used in contemporary British and American English. Drawn from over 40 languages, entries provide details of the history of each word or phrase, including language of origin, spelling variants, pronunciation, and its sense and use in English. Information is given on specific items of interest, such as the use of daemon in Philip Pullman''s His Dark MaterialTrade ReviewReview from previous edition frightfully good value. Clarifies those little words and letters that so often puzzle * Express *a delight to peruse * Toby Lichtig, Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsPREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION; PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION; PRONUNCIATION GUIDE; OXFORD DICTIONARY OF FOREIGN WORDS AND PHRASES; APPENDIX

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the nautical history of some of our most common expressions in an entertaining and informative volume.As the crow flies'''', ''''chunder'''', ''''cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey'''', ''''three sheets to the wind'''' - many terms like these are used in everyday English language conversation and writing. But how many landlubbers know that they derive from naval slang or know what the phrase originally referred to?The navy has helped to shape modern society and is famous for its traditions, quirks and nuances. It is distinctly different to wider society and nowhere is this more evident than in language. The naval community once had its own language, incomprehensible to anyone who was not a sailor, which described and explained his unique world. But on shore leave these men introduced their language to the populations of bustling ports and harbours and the usage slowly spread inland.Today through the mediums of film, t

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Book SynopsisAudio recordings of English are available from the first half of the twentieth century and thus complement the written data sources for the recent history of the language. This book is the first to bring together a team of globally recognised scholars to document and analyse these early recordings in a single volume. Looking at examples of regional varieties of English from England, Scotland, Ireland, the USA, Canada and other anglophone countries, the volume explores both standard and vernacular varieties, and demonstrates how accents of English have changed between the late nineteenth century and the present day. The socio-phonetic examinations of the recordings will be of interest to scholars of historical linguistics, the history of the English language, language variation and change, phonetics, and phonology.Trade Review'This is a broad, ambitious, and enlightening use of previously untapped sources. The collection provides an exciting new dimension to the analysis of variation and change in twentieth-century English.' Donka Minkova, University of California, Los Angeles'This is the first major publication to tap the wealth of available archival sound recordings for the historical study of spoken English. The editor is to be commended for bringing together a strong line-up of experts and for covering British and American English as well as several New Englishes.' Christian Mair, University of Freiburg'I am very glad that this book exists. As someone who is interested in all aspects of the phonological history of English, I find it a delight to see so much that is new and appetite-whetting gathered together in one volume, especially given that most of the chapters are discussing varieties that are far from the standard forms of English that have often been (understandably but frustratingly) the focus of much historical research.' Patrick Honeybone, Journal of Historical SociolinguisticsTable of Contents1. Analysing early audio recordings Raymond Hickey; 2. British Library sound recordings of vernacular speech Jonathan Robinson; 3. Twentieth-century received pronunciation: prevocalic /r/ Anne Fabricius; 4. Twentieth-century received pronunciation: stop articulation Raymond Hickey; 5. Early London English Paul Kerswill and Eivind Torgersen; 6. Merseyside Kevin Watson and Lynn Clark; 7. Scotland - Glasgow and the Central Belt Jane Stuart-Smith and Eleanor Lawson; 8. Early recordings of Irish English Raymond Hickey; 9. Evidence of American regional dialects in early recordings Matthew J. Gordon and Christopher Strelluf; 10. New England Daniel Ezra Johnson and David Durian; 11. Upper Midwestern English Thomas Purnell, Eric Raimy and Joseph Salmons; 12. Western United States Valerie Fridland and Tyler Kendall; 13. Analysis of the ex-slave recordings Erik R. Thomas; 14. Archival data on earlier Canadian English Charles Boberg; 15. Canadian raising in Newfoundland? Sandra Clarke, Paul De Decker and Gerard Van Herk; 16. The Caribbean Shelome Gooden and Kathy-Ann Drayton; 17. West Africa Magnus Huber; 18. Earlier South Africa English Ian Bekker; 19. Tristan da Cunha Daniel Schreier; 20. Australia Felicity Cox; 21. Early New Zealand English: the closing diphthongs Márton Sóskuthy, Jennifer Hay, Margaret Maclagan, Katie Drager and Paul Foulkes; 22. The development of recording technology Raymond Hickey.

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