Language: history and general works Books
Cambridge University Press You Cant Write That
Book SynopsisBringing together history, headlines, and research with accessible visuals and examples, this book explains 8 myths about 'correct writing' and presents a new approach for writing in our diverse and digital world. It is essential reading for anyone who cares about English or writing. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.Table of ContentsIntroduction: When writing means correct writing; 1. Myth 1: You can't write that; 2. Myth 2: You can't write that in school; 3. Myth 3: You can't write that and be smart; 4. Myth 4: You can't write that on the test; 5. Myth 5: Chances are, you can't write; 6. Myth 6: You can't write if you didn't write well in high school; 7. Myth 7: You can't get a job if you didn't write well in college; 8. Myth 8: You can't write that because internet; Conclusion: Writing continuum, language exploration.
£24.69
Cambridge University Press Aeolic and Aeolians
Book SynopsisAeolic and Aeolians explores the origin of an ancient Greek language and the beginnings and evolution of the community of its speakers ? the Aeolians. Roger Woodard argues that the starting point for both is situated in Asia Minor during the period of the Late Bronze Age, and that the ancestral Aeolic speech community can be identified with the Mycenaean peoples of Anatolia called the Ahhiyawans in Hittite records. These Bronze-Age Asian Greeks would intermarry with local Luvian peoples of western Anatolia, and the Aeolian language and identity ? an identity encoded in myth-emerged from the intermixing of the two societies. Aeolian myths are central to Woodard''s ground-breaking investigations presented in this volume. He demonstrates how assemblages of mythic components, what Lévi-Strauss called bricolage, enabled early Aeolians to give intellectual expression to their distinctive Greek identity. With the collapse of Bronze-Age societies in Mycenaean Greece, some of the early Aeolians of Anatolia would migrate to Europe, introducing their language and myths into Hellas.
£114.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd Fighting Words
Book SynopsisFighting Words! is a critical exploration of all kinds of bad language and how that language shapes, reinforces, or subverts identity, ideology, and power. Eric Louis Russell expertly investigates facets of taboo language, drawing on diverse interdisciplinary material to define key concepts and using them to examine the complex dynamics behind a wide range of examples from popular culture, from Donald Trump's controversies to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's WAP.What emerges from this analysis is the intersectionality of how language is performed and how it contributes to the shaping of identity and simultaneously shapes and is shaped by social attitudes, cultural assumptions, and systems of power with regard to race, sexuality, and gender.With fascinating A Closer Look boxes and a rich array of pedagogical features, this is the perfect text for advanced students and researchers in sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, and related fields.
£36.99
Taylor & Francis Digital World Englishes
Book SynopsisDigital World Englishes aims to be an introduction to and exposition of the universe of world Englishes as represented in online spaces. It presents aspects of world Englishes theory in relation to our evolving digital reality and examples of authentic language variation, change and code-mixing. To do that, it visits such stations as world Englishes frameworks, pedagogy, new media, augmented intelligence, interactions with other languages, research methodology, and Internet user identities. The reader of the book will come away from the reading with a clear idea of what world Englishes are and how they have morphed, adapted, and come to manifest in online environments. This is likely the first book-length treatment of this topic from the lenses of linguistic creativity, morphing identities, and the power of languages of wider communication.
£36.99
Taylor & Francis Language Celebrity Fandom and Political Activism
Book SynopsisThis book examines antagonistic fan communication on Chinese social media, focusing on the sociolinguistic dimensions and digital strategies in fandom discourse of Chinese celebrities to engage in broader questions around language, social media, and fan culture.The volume explores the different factors which contribute to antagonism in these contexts, including competitive fan posting meant to boost celebritiesâ positive publicity, but also at fansâ communicative practices themselves. Adopting an action-centered sociolinguistic framework, Hou considers how antagonistic fan communication transforms as fansâ engagement with digital technologies transforms and their experience with mediated content deepens. The book takes an in-depth look into how fans use a mix of verbal aggressions, such as trolling, with savvy digital tools, such as identity masking and memes to avoid content removal, in order to mobilize, collaborate, and communicate on a wider scale and often times, funnel
£49.99
Taylor & Francis Popularizing Science in the Digital Era
Book SynopsisThis book offers a comprehensive overview of TED talks as a digital-multimodal video genre, exploring the ways in which myriad rhetorical, structural, digital, and multimodal resources are used to communicate scientific knowledge to lay audiences.Drawing on insights from genre analysis, the systemic functional approach to multimodal discourse analysis, and the social semiotic approach to multimodality, the volume examines the communicative contexts in which TED talks are constructed, their rhetorical structure, the deployment of multimodal tools, and diachronic developments. The book reflects on the ways in which TED talks are uniquely positioned to offer new insights into how experts disseminate scientific knowledge for non-specialist audiences, constructed as they are within a community defined by a fluidity and diversity of audiences and speakers. The volume offers strategies for not only making the process of disseminating specialized knowledge more engaging and accessible but also expanding their own semiotic and communicative repertoires, increasingly crucial in our digitally driven era.This book will be of interest to students and scholars of English for Specific Purposes, multimodality, discourse analysis, and digital communication.
£46.80
Taylor & Francis Ltd Mobile Messaging and Resourcefulness
Book SynopsisThis book advocates a new post-digital linguistic ethnography approach to unpacking mobile communication and enabling a more informed understanding of individuals' communicative practices in cities today. Drawing on data from a group of ordinary working people, multilingual individuals from superdiverse cities across the United Kingdom, the volume brings observations from this data together to form a new concept of resourcefulness' as a means of explaining the emergent sense of agency individuals develop towards remediating existing forms of technology in their everyday lives. The book in turn establishes the notion of the networked individual' by way of demonstrating the ways in which communicative practices cross spaces and platforms. Further chapters detail examples to highlight resourcefulness at work in enabling more efficient business communication, routes to self-expression and the creation and development of social support systems, while a concluding chapter looks at both thTable of Contents Introduction Post-digital ethnography and the networked individual Mobile resourcefulness Polymedia repertoires Sharing in mobile conversations Conclusion
£19.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Language and Decolonisation
Book SynopsisLanguage and Decolonisation is the first collection to bring together views from across scholarly communities that are committed to the agenda of decolonising knowledge in language study. Edited by leading figures in the field, the chapters offer new insights on how decolonising' can be adopted as a methodology for charting the next steps in solving practical language-related problems in educational and related social policy areas. Divided into two sections, the book covers the coloniality of language, the materiality of culture and colonial scripts, the decolonisation imperative, multilingualism discourse and decolonisation, and decolonising languages in public discourse. With 20 chapters authored by experts from across the globe, this pioneering collection is an essential reference and resource for advanced students, scholars, and researchers of language and culture, sociolinguistics, decolonial studies, racial studies, and related areas.
£39.99
Taylor & Francis Critical Intercultural and English Language
Book SynopsisInternationalisation is key to a modern and diverse higher education. Closely related to this is the successful integration of different cultures and languages. This book explores the dynamic relationships between English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), intercultural communication competence (ICC), internationalisation, and the use of the English language in international higher education.Featuring contributions from authors from TÃrkiye, Slovenia, Thailand, Taiwan and Norway, the chapters discuss topics such as translanguaging, language-related policies in internationalisation, issues of language and interculturality from a contextual point of view of pedagogy, and provide critical reflections on perceptions and orientations in support of higher education internationalisation. Ultimately, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of how the English language functions as a tool for intercultural engagement in academic settings, and the ways in which it is encountered and perc
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Understanding English Language Teaching in EFL
Book SynopsisThis volume is comprehensively designed to help prospective teachers of English Language (EL), and teachers specializing in English as a foreign language (EFL), mainly in South Asian countries. It analyses the application of ELT theories, concepts, and methods to sharpen their understanding of the various techniques used for teaching English effectively in the EFL context.The book discusses the basic concepts of language aimed to develop a sense of the language phenomenon as a unique human attribute. It covers the theories of language from various disciplines such as biology, sociology, psychology, and linguistics. The book explains the underlying structures or components that shape the edifice of languages such as phonology, morphology, syntax, grammar, phonetics, semantics, and pragmatics. While taking the reader through language learning theories with a focus on English as the second language, it discusses the different teaching methods that can be adopted by teachers in c
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Analysing Political Discourse
Book Synopsis
£37.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd English Phonetics and Pronunciation Practice
Book SynopsisEnglish Phonetics and Pronunciation Practice provides a unique introduction to basic articulatory phonetics for students of English. Taking a practical approach, this book teaches the pronunciation of modern standard non-regional British English to intermediate and advanced learners worldwide.Now fully updated and restructured, the more concise new edition: provides an up-to-date description of the pronunciation of modern British English; demonstrates the use of English consonants and vowels in a variety of contexts and in contrast with other sounds with which they may be confused; includes expanded theory sections for an improved balance of theory and practice; is supported by extensive online audio material.Ideal for studying pronunciation in the classroom or for independent student practice, English Phonetics and Pronunciation Practice is essential reading for any student of pronunciation and phonetics.
£35.99
Taylor & Francis Cultivating Intercultural Communication Awareness
Book SynopsisIn an increasingly interconnected world, supporting students as they learn to communicate in linguistically diverse intercultural settings is a significant aim of English language and international education. To address this educational objective, this book breaks down the complexities associated with global English in intercultural communication and it challenges conventional educational focuses through activities that promote intercultural awareness and citizenship.The resource book offers pre-service teachers and educators a range of activities grounded in contemporary perspectives on Global Englishes, intercultural learning, and intercultural citizenship education. The book shifts the focus from teaching to imitate native-like proficiency by providing educators with practices and ideas to develop students who are globally aware, can handle complexities of communicating using English as a lingua franca (ELF), and can act as responsible intercultural citizens in a globalise
£37.04
Taylor & Francis Spoken English The Basics
Book SynopsisSpoken English: The Basics offers a clear, non-jargonistic introduction to what the study of spoken English entails, ranging from its basic phonology and the grammar and vocabulary of speaking to the role of speaking in society. The book describes and illustrates how spoken English is used in a globalised and technology-led world, using data from a range of contexts.Key features of this book include:â An introduction to the basics of the study of phonology, accents, and dialectsâ Discussions of the role of AI and its educational and language teaching applicationsâ Examples from British English data, but with reference to spoken data from other varieties of English including North American English, Indian English, Hong Kong English, South African English, Kenyan English, Irish English, Caribbean English, second language learners and expert non-native usersFeaturing a glossary of key terms, this book will be of interest to students of several sub-disciplines where spoken English is involved, including corpus linguistics, ESOL/ELT, sociolinguistics, education and literacy, lingua franca and World English, among others, where often a knowledge of the workings of spoken language is assumed.
£19.99
Taylor & Francis Secret Identities and Double Lives on Tween TV
Book SynopsisSecret Identities and Double Lives on Tween TV in introduces readers to the concepts of tweenhood and television (TV) tropes by providing historical and theoretical contexts and reviewing the history of TV targeted to tweens.Through a qualitative analysis of various live-action sitcoms, this book explores the popularity of programming featuring characters leading secret lives and targeted to tweens. By unpacking various theoretical explanations of this distinct period of life and examining them through the critical lens of the content of these tween TV shows that feature secret identities, the book offers a unique understanding of the tween experience woven in the nexus of power, morality, friendship, romance, family life and self-identity.This bookâs analysis and understanding would benefit childrenâs media scholars and researchers, students of media studies, communication studies, cultural studies, adolescent studies, and child development.
£49.99
Cambridge University Press The Ancient Egyptian Language
Book SynopsisThis book, the first of its kind, examines how the phonology and grammar of the ancient Egyptian language changed over more than three thousand years of its history, from the first appearance of written documents, c.3250 BC, to the Coptic dialects of the second century AD and later.Trade Review'A major contribution to our understanding of the development of Ancient Egyptian throughout its recorded history, richly exemplified and with a wealth of original insights. Essential reading.' Mark Collier, University of Liverpool'… represents the cutting edge of Egyptological linguistics and is certain to be of interest to all researchers working in the field.' Sami Uljas, University of Basel'This new history of Egyptian-Coptic - the first synthesis of its kind in nearly two decades - presents a rich material and many innovative analyses, benefiting from the author's profound expertise in the earlier textual corpora of Egyptian.' Dr Andréas Stauder, Swiss National Science Foundation and the University of Basel'Essential reading for anyone studying the development of the ancient Egyptian language or who has a more general interest in linguistics and the history of language development.' Ancient EgyptTable of Contents1. Ancient Egyptian; Part I. Phonology: 2. Coptic phonology; 3. Coptic and Egyptian; 4. Correspondents and cognates; 5. Egyptian phonology; Part II. Grammar: 6. Nouns, pronouns, and adjectives; 7. Non-verbal predicates; 8. Verbs; 9. Verbs: Egyptian I; 10. Verbs: Egyptian II; 11. Verbs: Egyptian I-II; 12. Subordination.
£73.15
Cambridge University Press Learning Latin and Greek from Antiquity to the Present 37 Yale Classical Studies Series Number 37
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£90.33
Cambridge University Press The English Phrasal Verb 1650Present
Book SynopsisProviding a detailed and comprehensive account of the development of phrasal verbs from early modern to present-day English, this study covers almost 400 years in the history of English, and provides both a diachronic and synchronic account based on over 12,000 examples extracted from stratified electronic corpora. The corpus analysis provides evidence of how registers can inform us about the history of English, as it traces and compares the usage and stylistic drifts of phrasal verbs across ten different genres - drama, fiction, journals, diaries, letters, medicine, news, science, sermons, and trial proceedings. The study also sheds new light on the morpho-syntactic and semantic features of phrasal verbs, proposing a new approach to the category, considering not only on their grammatical features, but also their historical development, by discussing the category in terms of a number of central mechanisms of language change.Trade Review'This book is a major contribution to the research on phrasal verbs, presenting the most comprehensive empirical investigation to date by tracing more than 12,000 phrasal verbs across 350 years and ten genres. Thus, it provides most valuable insights into their behaviour in spoken versus written, formal versus informal contexts, and their positioning along the clines of lexicalisation and idiomatisation.' Claudia Claridge, Universität AugsburgTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Corpus and methodology; 3. Delimiting the scope of the study: what are phrasal verbs?; 4. The relationship between phrasal verbs and the processes of grammaticalisation, lexicalisation, and idiomatisation; 5. Phrasal verbs 1650–1990: Linguistic aspects; 6. Phrasal verbs 1650–1990: cross-genre distribution; 7. Conclusion.
£27.89
Cambridge University Press The Ancient Egyptian Language An Historical Study
Book SynopsisThis book, the first of its kind, examines how the phonology and grammar of the ancient Egyptian language changed over more than three thousand years of its history, from the first appearance of written documents, c.3250 BC, to the Coptic dialects of the second century AD and later. Part One discusses phonology, working backward from the vowels and consonants of Coptic to those that can be deduced for earlier stages of the language. Part Two is devoted to grammar, including both basic components such as nouns and the complex history of the verbal system. The book thus provides both a synchronic description of the five major historical stages of ancient Egyptian and a diachronic analysis of their development and relationship.Trade Review'A major contribution to our understanding of the development of Ancient Egyptian throughout its recorded history, richly exemplified and with a wealth of original insights. Essential reading.' Mark Collier, University of Liverpool'… represents the cutting edge of Egyptological linguistics and is certain to be of interest to all researchers working in the field.' Sami Uljas, University of Basel'This new history of Egyptian-Coptic - the first synthesis of its kind in nearly two decades - presents a rich material and many innovative analyses, benefiting from the author's profound expertise in the earlier textual corpora of Egyptian.' Dr Andréas Stauder, Swiss National Science Foundation and the University of Basel'Essential reading for anyone studying the development of the ancient Egyptian language or who has a more general interest in linguistics and the history of language development.' Ancient EgyptTable of Contents1. Ancient Egyptian; Part I. Phonology: 2. Coptic phonology; 3. Coptic and Egyptian; 4. Correspondents and cognates; 5. Egyptian phonology; Part II. Grammar: 6. Nouns, pronouns, and adjectives; 7. Non-verbal predicates; 8. Verbs; 9. Verbs: Egyptian I; 10. Verbs: Egyptian II; 11. Verbs: Egyptian I-II; 12. Subordination.
£30.99
Cambridge University Press Categories Constructions and Change in English Syntax
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£105.44
Cambridge University Press Language in Britain and Ireland
Book SynopsisBritain and Ireland are home to a rich array of spoken and signed languages and dialects. Language is ever evolving, in its diversity, and in the number and the backgrounds of its speakers, and so, too, are the tools and methods used for researching language. Now in its third edition, this book brings together a team of experts to provide cutting-edge linguistic and sociolinguistic information about all the major varieties of language used across Britain and Ireland today. Fully updated, this edition covers topics including the history of English, the relationship between standard and nonstandard Englishes, multilingualism in Britain and Ireland, and the educational and policy planning implications of this linguistic diversity. Chapters are also dedicated to specific language varieties, including comprehensive descriptions of the Celtic languages, nonstandard regional varieties, sign languages, and urban contact varieties. It is essential reading for academic researchers and students of sociolinguistics and education.
£33.24
Cambridge University Press Creating Canadian English
Book SynopsisThis lively account of the making of Canadian English traces the variety''s conceptual, social and linguistic developments from the twentieth century to the present. This book is not just another history of Canadian English; it is a history of the variety''s discovery, codification, and eventual acceptance, as well as the contribution of the linguists behind it. Written by an active research linguist focusing on Canadian English, this book is an archive-based biography on multiple levels. Through a combination of new data and re-interpretations of existing studies, a new voice is given to earlier generations of Canadian linguists who, generally forgotten today, shaped the variety and how we think about it. Exploring topics such as linguistic description and codification, dictionary making, linguistic imperialism, linguistic attitudes, language and Canadian identity, or the threat of Americanisation, Dollinger presents a coherent, integrated and balanced account of developments spanningTrade Review'Stefan Dollinger has undertaken heroic archival sleuthing to resuscitate the coalition of amateur logophiles and English professors that succeeded in bringing Canadian English into print and, more important, into our consciousness. Through him, this small, almost forgotten band of scholars come to life with their foibles, their labours and above all their dedication.' Jack Chambers, University of Toronto'For this brilliantly researched book, Stefan Dollinger bravely ventured to parts of the archives other scholars had never reached. He emerged with the fascinating story of how the 'Lennon & McCartney of Canadian English', Walter S. Avis and Charles J. Lovell, persuaded Canada - and then the world - to recognize Canadian English as the distinctive language variety that it truly is.' Peter Trudgill, Université de Fribourg, Switzerland'It is consistently seasoned with lively examples, gems of Canadianisms, explained in context and documented by references to the DCHP and other works. For anybody interested in such a perspective Dollinger's book is a captivating read.' Edgar W. Schneider, English World-Wide'… Creating Canadian English provides us with a highly competent and readable story, diligently researched in archives and by interviews, written by a scholar working in Canada, in nuanced Canadian English, that all audiences should find is a helpful introduction to its subject and a clear call for further community-involved efforts. I rate it highly.' David Douglas Robertson, LINGUIST ListTable of Contents1. What is Canadian English?; 2. The heritage of Canadian English; 3. Avis pulls it off; 4. The 'technology': slips, slips, and more slips; 5. 1967 – excitement and hype; 6. Riding the wave of success; 7. A global village and a national dictionary war; 8. Decolonizing DCHP-1 and DCHP-2; 9. Is there really a Canadian English?; Further reading.
£26.99
Cambridge University Press The Emoji Revolution
Book SynopsisWhere have emoji come from? Why are they so popular? What do they tell us about the technology-enhanced state of modern society? Far from simply being an amusing set of colourful little symbols, emoji are in the front line of a revolution in the way we communicate. As a form of global, image-based communication, they''re a perfect example of the ingenuity and creativity at the heart of human interaction. But they''re also a parable for the way that consumerism now permeates all parts of our daily existence, taking a controlling interest even in the language we use; and of how technology is becoming ever more entangled in our everyday lives. So how will this split-identity affect the way that online communication develops? Are emoji ushering in a bold new era of empathy and emotional engagement on the internet? Or are they a first sign that we''re handing over the future of human interaction to the machines?Trade Review'Emoji are a significant development in contemporary communication, deserving serious attention for their impact on both language use and society. The book comes at them from a variety of complementary angles, elucidating their specific nature and function while simultaneously showing how they reflect and influence important developments in the modern globalised world. This insightful integration of the general and the specific places this book among the very best academic work in the field.' Guy Cook, Emeritus Professor of Language in Education, King's College London'The Emoji Revolution is required reading for anyone with interest in emoji, or communication in general. While the subject matter might seem trivial on the surface, Philip Seargeant takes emoji and its impact very seriously in his book by rigorously examining the historical, political and social contexts of emoji use. Seargeant has produced a tremendous work of scholarship that is also a fun and engaging to read.' Jane Solomon, author of The Dictionary of Difficult Words'In his book, The Emoji Revolution, Philip Seargeant argues that emojis have become a powerful new way of getting a message across - not just for young people, but for everyone. He provides a fresh perspective on these pictograms and challenges us to think beyond their silliness or simplicity.' Forbes'The Emoji Revolution adeptly establishes emoji within a broader legacy of language and communication systems. The book is written in a highly engaging style that is peppered with Seargeant's wit and observational humor. The absence of jargon and extensive technical language makes this an accessible text which will appeal to lay audiences, academics, and student readers in a number of humanities and social science disciplines.' Miriam E. Sweeney, New Media and Society'There is an element of fun and lightness throughout the narrative. However, the topic's overall treatment is serious and scholarly, so we find a mix of serious and fun, and a bit of the best of both worlds.' Jeanette Evans, Technical CommunicationTable of Contents1. The what, the why and the where of emoji; 2. Emoji and the history of human communication; 3. Making faces; 4. Metaphors and moral panics; 5. The shaping force of digital technology; 6. People, politics and interpersonal relationships; 7. Diverse identities; 8. Creativity and culture; 9. The emojification of everyday life.
£28.73
Cambridge University Press Politeness in the History of English
Book SynopsisBased on detailed case studies of literary texts, this book traces the development of politeness from Old English to the present day. Politeness is shown in its ambivalent and multi-faceted nature from a variety of perspectives, making this essential reading for politeness specialists, cultural historians and historical linguists alike.
£22.99
Cambridge University Press The Long Journey of English
Book SynopsisWritten by one of the foremost authorities on the English language, this book offers a fascinating look at the history of English, focusing on its early development and subsequent spread around the world. Engaging and accessible, it is ideal reading for anyone interested in the history of the English Language.Trade Review'Here is an original and eminently enjoyable book detailing the origins of our language and the millennia-long geographical spread of earlier stages of what was to become English in all its varieties.' Robert Fulks, Professor Emeritus of English, Indiana University'Peter Trudgill's account of the geographical journey of the English language is highly educational, truly captivating, and uniquely sensitive to what has been lost along the way.' Erik Smitterberg, Professor of English Linguistics, Uppsala University'This book is a real page turner. Some people find readings about the History of the English Language boring. This is not going to happen with this book - Peter Trudgill marries a thrilling exploration of geographical expansion and retreat with a masterful investigation of the linguistic facts. Food for thought!' Benedikt Szmrecsanyi, Professor of Linguistics, KU LeuvenTable of ContentsPrologue: a view from the birthplace; 1. Where it all started: the language which became English; 2. The journey begins: the first movement south; 3. Interlude: a view from the Celtic island; 4. Heading west again: the North Sea crossing 400–600; 5. Anglo-Saxons and Celts in the English highlands 600–800; 6. And further west: across the Irish Sea 800–1200; 7. Atlantic crossing: on to the Americas 1600–1800; 8. Onwards to the Pacific shore; 9. Across the Equator: into the Southern Hemisphere 1800–1900; 10. Some turning back: English in retreat; 11. Meanwhile… Britain and the British Isles from 1600; 12. Transcultural diffusion: the New Native Englishes; Epilogue: sixteen hundred years on.
£18.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Routledge Handbook of Multimodal Analysis
Multimodality is an innovative approach to representation, communication and interaction which looks beyond language to investigate the multitude of ways we communicate: through images, sound and music to gestures, body posture and the use of space. The Routledge Handbook of Multimodal Analysis, Second Edition provides a comprehensive research tool kit' for multimodal analysis, with thirty-four chapters written by leading figures in the field on a wide range of theoretical and methodological issues. This new edition includes twelve new chapters on theoretical and mathodological developments, and multimodal research on digitally mediated texts and interaction. The Handbook includes chapters on key themes within multimodality such as technology, culture, notions of identity, social justice and power, and macro issues such as literacy policy. Taking a broad look at multimodality, the contributors engage with how a variety
£58.99
Taylor & Francis Ltd Revival On the Study of Words 1904
Book SynopsisFirst published in 1904, this book contains the conclusions of a series of lectures exploring the moral and historical value of single words. The author argues that, just as wisdom and knowledge are discoverable in books, so too are these treasures to be found in individual words themselves. Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. On the Morality in Words 3. On the History in Words 4. On the Rise of New Words 5. On the Distinction of Words 6. The Schoolmaster's Use of Words
£43.19
Cambridge University Press Fixing English
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£30.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Living Latin
Book SynopsisWhat kind of language is Latin, and who is it for? Contrary to most accounts, this book tells the story of Latin as a language of ordinary people. Surveying the whole span of the language's history, it explores the evidence that exists for ordinary Latin around the Roman world, arguing that this material is just as worthy of readers' attention as the famous classics. Those classics are reassessed in the light of popular concerns, as works of art that evoke ancient, sustainable, and communal ways of living, encompassing broad and diverse traditions of readers through time.And of course Latin lived on: this account revisits what happened to the language after the Roman empire, tracing its twin streams intellectual lingua franca and a series of Romance languages into the twenty-first century. What emerges is a human chain stretching back thousands of years and still in existence today, a story of workers and weavers, violets and roses, storytellers and musiciansTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Latin of Ordinary People 2 The Classics 3 Latin to Romance Bibliography Index
£21.02
Palgrave Macmillan Dangerous Language Esperanto and the Decline of Stalinism
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£74.99
Quercus Publishing The Dawn of Language: The story of how we came to
Book Synopsis"A model of popular-science writing" STEVEN POOLEWho was "the first speaker" and what was their first message?An erudite, tightly woven and beautifully written account of one of humanity's greatest mysteries - the origins of language.Drawing on evidence from many fields, including archaeology, anthropology, neurology and linguistics, Sverker Johansson weaves these disparate threads together to show how our human ancestors evolved into language users. The Dawn of Language provides a fascinating survey of how grammar came into being and the differences or similarities between languages spoken around the world, before exploring how language eventually emerged in the very remote human past.Our intellectual and physiological changes through the process of evolution both have a bearing on our ability to acquire language. But to what extent is the evolution of language dependent on genes, or on environment? How has language evolved further, and how is it changing now, in the process of globalisation? And which aspects of language ensure that robots are not yet intelligent enough to reconstruct how language has evolved? Johansson's far-reaching, authoritative and research-based approach to language is brought to life through dozens of astonishing examples, both human and animal, in a fascinatingly erudite and entertaining volume for anyone who has ever contemplated not just why we speak the way we do, but why we speak at all.Translated from the Swedish by Frank PerryTrade ReviewAn elegant intellectual thriller . . . A model of popular-science writing in its imperturbable, reasonable weighing of competing ideas . . . [A] fascinating story in its own right -- Steven Poole * Guardian *Popular science of the highest order. All the necessary ingredients are there: a well-read author, an educational mindset and good, fluent prose. * Svenska Dagbladet *A formidable educational journey . . . This is the book the linguists have needed for so long. * Expressen *Johansson writes with enthusiasm and a desire to impart his knowledge . . . The delight is contagious. * Språktidningen *A fascinating overview of human language * Smålandsposten *Women are central to the story of how humans began to use language, at least according to the fascinating hypothesis advanced by Swedish scientist Sverker Johansson in his magisterial The Dawn of Language . . . but there are many other twists and turns in this detective story of the deep past. * Telegraph *I love a book that teaches me things I didn't know while provoking in me thoughts I never had before, setting my mind racing in new directions. Such a book is The Dawn of Language by Sverker Johansson -- Richard DawkinsA very well-researched and persuasive work on how evolution shaped pre-human development, and our precursors' role in externalising language and bringing it into the world. -- Graham Elliott * The Linguist *
£12.34
Guardian Faber Publishing Mrs Moreau's Warbler: How Birds Got Their Names
Book SynopsisSwallow and starling, puffin and peregrine, blue tit and blackcap. We use these names so often that few of us ever pause to wonder about their origins. What do they mean? Where did they come from? And who created them?The words we use to name birds are some of the most lyrical and evocative in the English language. They also tell incredible stories: of epic expeditions, fierce battles between rival ornithologists, momentous historical events and touching romantic gestures.Through fascinating encounters with birds, and the rich cast of characters who came up with their names, in Mrs Moreau's Warbler Stephen Moss takes us on a remarkable journey through time. From when humans and birds first shared the earth to our fraught present-day coexistence, Moss shows how these names reveal as much about ourselves and our relationship with the natural world as about the creatures they describe.
£10.44
University of Wales Press Welsh Not
Book Synopsis
£18.99
Bodleian Library Just the Job: How Trades got their Names
Book SynopsisWhat did a gongfarmer do? How is a chaperone connected to a bird of prey? What is the etymology behind cloud architect? And is there a link between secretaries and secrets? The story behind these (and many more) job titles is rarely predictable and often fascinating. In this highly original book, Alexander Tulloch examines the etymology behind a selection of trades and professions, unearthing intriguing nuggets of historical information along the way. Here you will find explanations of common surnames, such as Spencer, Hayward and Fletcher; obsolete jobs such as pardoner, cordwainer or telegraph boy; and roles for the modern era, such as wedding planner, pundit and sky marshal. Packed with additional etymological information and literary quotations, this book will appeal not only to linguists but also to anyone interested in the quirky twists and turns of meaning which have given us the job titles with which we are familiar today.
£12.34
Bodleian Library That's the Ticket for Soup!: Victorian Views on
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.
£14.24
Springer International Publishing AG Lingua Franca and Français Tirailleur: From Sea
Book SynopsisThis book explores how the eponymous and original Lingua Franca was recognized as a potential linguistic template for future military and colonial pidgins. The author traces the career trajectory of General Louis Faidherbe, a member of the French colonizing force in Algiers in the early 1830s and a recognized linguist, who rose up through the ranks in various African colonies and was the founder of regiments in West Africa, including the Senegal-based tirailleurs. Their artificially constructed military pidgin, Français Tirailleur, was a language modelled on the reduced grammar and lexicon of Lingua Franca. This book demonstrates the direct link between the two languages, as well as connections with other colonial pidgins in Asia that also derived to some extent from Lingua Franca. It will be of interest to students and scholars of language contact and language history, pidgins and creoles, and military and colonial history. Table of ContentsChapter 1: The evolution of Lingua Franca to Sabir and beyond.- Chapter 2: Louis Faidherbe, colonialist and linguist.- Chapter 3: Parallels of Sabir and Français Tirailleur.- Chapter 4: The mixed fortunes of Sabir.
£33.24
Springer International Publishing AG Inheritance and Innovation in a Colonial
Book SynopsisThis book takes a fresh approach to analysing how new languages are created, combining in-depth colonial history and empirical, usage-based linguistics. Focusing on a rarely studied language, the authors employ this dual methodology to reconstruct how multilingual individuals drew on their perception of Romance and West African languages to form French Guianese Creole. In doing so, they facilitate the application of a usage-based approach to language while simultaneously contributing significantly to the debate on creole origins. This innovative volume is sure to appeal to students and scholars of language history, creolisation and languages in contact.Chapter 3 is published open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.Trade Review“The book is well written, the argumentation is usually clear, the authors have a clear theorical framework, they present a great deal of linguistic data … . This book is probably its best test to date. … In short, this is an interesting book, more historically informed than most works of its kind.” (Peter Bakker, Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages, Vol. 36 (2), 2021)Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction: A dual approach.- Chapter 2. History: The Creation of French Guianese Creole.- Chapter 3. Linguistics: Inheritance and Innovation in French Guianese Creole.- Chapter 4. Conclusion.
£75.05
Academic Studies Press Russian in the 1740s
Book SynopsisDuring the 1740s, literate Russians mostly kept to traditional forms of written language. Although the linguistic reforms undertaken by Peter the Great earlier in the century affected printed secular texts and the imperial administration, these reforms were less radical than often assumed. This study draws conclusions based on an analysis that differs from earlier ones. First of all, the study examines the Russian language during a comparatively little-known decade of the eighteenth century. In doing so, it takes into account not only strictly linguistic data, but also developments in Russian society. Second, the investigation analyzes sources that are seldom valued for their linguistic content, thus offering a broader perspective on the Russian language of the period. Trade Review“This book offers a meticulous examination of written Russian texts dating to the 1740s, the first decade of Tsarina Elizabeth’s reign. … The author’s methodology will inform future investigations of brief time periods in the history of Russian language usage needed to better understand the country’s social development. This book is a model for sociolinguists, especially social historians interested in the development of education and literacy in czarist Russia. … Recommended.”— E. J. Vajda, Western Washington University, CHOICE (April 2023: Vol. 60 No. 8)"...[T]he manuscript heritage of the 1740s is an extensive and very heterogeneous material. A comprehensive analysis of this array in all its diversity is a matter of the future – in this regard, T. Rosen's book offers a promising direction for further research and is an essential step towards them."— Natalia Kareva, Вивлiоѳика: E-Journal of Eighteenth-Century Russian Studies (Translated from Russian)Table of ContentsAuthor’s NotesNotes on TransliterationSpelling of NamesThe Old Style CalendarTranslation of QuotationsAcknowledgmentsChapter 1: Introduction1.1 Aim and Purpose of the Investigation1.2 Language and Society in Eighteenth-Century Russia1.3 Historical Sociolinguistics?1.4 Chronological Delimitations1.5 Was Post-Petrine Russian in Disarray?1.6. Research Questions1.6.1 Extralinguistic Questions1.6.2 Linguistic Questions:1.7 Outline of the InvestigationChapter 2: Survey of Existing Research2.1 Russian Language from the 1740s as a Field of Study2.2 General Studies of Eighteenth-Century Russian2.3 Sociolinguistically Oriented Studies of Eighteenth-Century Russian2.4 Language and Politics in the 1740s2.5 Assessing the Situation2.6 ConclusionsChapter 3: The Impact of Society on Language3.1 Introductory Remarks3.1.1 Peoples and Languages3.1.2 Social Stratification3.1.3 Politics and Administration3.2 Education and Literacy in Eighteenth-Century Russia3.2.1 Education3.2.2 Literacy3.3 Language Management3.3.1 Examining Language Management in Handwritten Documents from the 1740s3.3.2 The Imperial Academy of Sciences, a Language Management Agency3.3.3 A New Function: The Founding of the Russian Conference3.3.4 The Demise of the Russian Conference3.4 Language Management in the Administration3.4.1 Template for the Imperial Title, 17413.4.2 Template for a Letter of Credit, 17443.5 ConclusionsChapter 4: Available Sources4.1 Electronic Corpora of Eighteenth-Century Texts4.2 Printed Texts4.2.1 Books4.2.2 Newspapers4.2.3 Popular Prints4.3 Archival Material4.3.1 Selection of Sources4.4 Paleographic Characteristics of the Material4.4.1 Developments in Printing during the 1740s4.4.2 Handwritten Documents4.5 The People behind the MaterialChapter 5: Methodological Considerations5.1 Existing Methods5.2 Methodological Renewal5.2.1 The Uniformitarian Principle5.2.2 The Uniformitarian Principle and the Registers of Eighteenth-Century Russian5.2.3 What May Have Influenced the Registers?5.2.4 Register Analysis5.3 Register Analysis of Russian from the 1740sChapter 6: Situational Analysis of Registers6.1 Participants6.1.1 Individuals6.1.2 Institutions6.2 Relationships among Participants6.3 Channel6.3.1 Change of Printed Medium: A Weather Phenomenon in Spain6.3.2 Speech to Writing: Witness Statements6.4 Processing Circumstances6.5 Setting6.6 Communicative Purpose6.7 Topics6.8 ConclusionsChapter 7: Linguistic Analysis7.1 Autographs7.1.1 Mate Filipp Lanikin’s Receipt7.1.2 Mikhail Turchenikov’s Letter and Its Cultural Contexta) The Reportb) The Letters7.2 The Language of Regional Administration7.3 The Language of Diplomacy7.3.1 The Treaty on Subsidies7.3.2 Letters to the Royal Families7.3.3 A Letter by A. I. Rumiantsev7.4 The Life of Printed Texts7.4.1 Printing and Obsolete Characters7.4.2 The Development of Printed Texts7.4.3 Parallel Editions: Field-Marshal de Lacy’s Reports from the FrontChapter 8: Functional Analysis8.1 Tradition8.2 Education8.3 Social Identity8.4 Efficiency of Administration8.5 Informativity8.6 ConclusionChapter 9: General Conclusions9.1 Territorial Expansion and the Need for Trained Specialists9.2 Education and Literacy9.3 Organized Language Management9.4 Functional Spheres of Russian in the 1740s9.5 PerspectivesBibliographyArchival SourcesArchival Sources on the InternetPrinted SourcesLiterature
£78.19
Academic Studies Press Russian in the 1740s
Book SynopsisDuring the 1740s, literate Russians mostly kept to traditional forms of written language. Although the linguistic reforms undertaken by Peter the Great earlier in the century affected printed secular texts and the imperial administration, these reforms were less radical than often assumed. This study draws conclusions based on an analysis that differs from earlier ones. First of all, the study examines the Russian language during a comparatively little-known decade of the eighteenth century. In doing so, it takes into account not only strictly linguistic data, but also developments in Russian society. Second, the investigation analyzes sources that are seldom valued for their linguistic content, thus offering a broader perspective on the Russian language of the period. Trade Review“This book offers a meticulous examination of written Russian texts dating to the 1740s, the first decade of Tsarina Elizabeth’s reign. … The author’s methodology will inform future investigations of brief time periods in the history of Russian language usage needed to better understand the country’s social development. This book is a model for sociolinguists, especially social historians interested in the development of education and literacy in czarist Russia. … Recommended.”— E. J. Vajda, Western Washington University, CHOICE (April 2023: Vol. 60 No. 8)"...[T]he manuscript heritage of the 1740s is an extensive and very heterogeneous material. A comprehensive analysis of this array in all its diversity is a matter of the future – in this regard, T. Rosen's book offers a promising direction for further research and is an essential step towards them."— Natalia Kareva, Вивлiоѳика: E-Journal of Eighteenth-Century Russian Studies (Translated from Russian)Table of ContentsAuthor’s NotesNotes on TransliterationSpelling of NamesThe Old Style CalendarTranslation of QuotationsAcknowledgmentsChapter 1: Introduction1.1 Aim and Purpose of the Investigation1.2 Language and Society in Eighteenth-Century Russia1.3 Historical Sociolinguistics?1.4 Chronological Delimitations1.5 Was Post-Petrine Russian in Disarray?1.6. Research Questions1.6.1 Extralinguistic Questions1.6.2 Linguistic Questions:1.7 Outline of the InvestigationChapter 2: Survey of Existing Research2.1 Russian Language from the 1740s as a Field of Study2.2 General Studies of Eighteenth-Century Russian2.3 Sociolinguistically Oriented Studies of Eighteenth-Century Russian2.4 Language and Politics in the 1740s2.5 Assessing the Situation2.6 ConclusionsChapter 3: The Impact of Society on Language3.1 Introductory Remarks3.1.1 Peoples and Languages3.1.2 Social Stratification3.1.3 Politics and Administration3.2 Education and Literacy in Eighteenth-Century Russia3.2.1 Education3.2.2 Literacy3.3 Language Management3.3.1 Examining Language Management in Handwritten Documents from the 1740s3.3.2 The Imperial Academy of Sciences, a Language Management Agency3.3.3 A New Function: The Founding of the Russian Conference3.3.4 The Demise of the Russian Conference3.4 Language Management in the Administration3.4.1 Template for the Imperial Title, 17413.4.2 Template for a Letter of Credit, 17443.5 ConclusionsChapter 4: Available Sources4.1 Electronic Corpora of Eighteenth-Century Texts4.2 Printed Texts4.2.1 Books4.2.2 Newspapers4.2.3 Popular Prints4.3 Archival Material4.3.1 Selection of Sources4.4 Paleographic Characteristics of the Material4.4.1 Developments in Printing during the 1740s4.4.2 Handwritten Documents4.5 The People behind the MaterialChapter 5: Methodological Considerations5.1 Existing Methods5.2 Methodological Renewal5.2.1 The Uniformitarian Principle5.2.2 The Uniformitarian Principle and the Registers of Eighteenth-Century Russian5.2.3 What May Have Influenced the Registers?5.2.4 Register Analysis5.3 Register Analysis of Russian from the 1740sChapter 6: Situational Analysis of Registers6.1 Participants6.1.1 Individuals6.1.2 Institutions6.2 Relationships among Participants6.3 Channel6.3.1 Change of Printed Medium: A Weather Phenomenon in Spain6.3.2 Speech to Writing: Witness Statements6.4 Processing Circumstances6.5 Setting6.6 Communicative Purpose6.7 Topics6.8 ConclusionsChapter 7: Linguistic Analysis7.1 Autographs7.1.1 Mate Filipp Lanikin’s Receipt7.1.2 Mikhail Turchenikov’s Letter and Its Cultural Contexta) The Reportb) The Letters7.2 The Language of Regional Administration7.3 The Language of Diplomacy7.3.1 The Treaty on Subsidies7.3.2 Letters to the Royal Families7.3.3 A Letter by A. I. Rumiantsev7.4 The Life of Printed Texts7.4.1 Printing and Obsolete Characters7.4.2 The Development of Printed Texts7.4.3 Parallel Editions: Field-Marshal de Lacy’s Reports from the FrontChapter 8: Functional Analysis8.1 Tradition8.2 Education8.3 Social Identity8.4 Efficiency of Administration8.5 Informativity8.6 ConclusionChapter 9: General Conclusions9.1 Territorial Expansion and the Need for Trained Specialists9.2 Education and Literacy9.3 Organized Language Management9.4 Functional Spheres of Russian in the 1740s9.5 PerspectivesBibliographyArchival SourcesArchival Sources on the InternetPrinted SourcesLiterature
£21.59
Taylor & Francis Practical English Phonetics and Phonology
Book SynopsisRoutledge English Language Introductions cover core areas of language study and are one-stop resources for students. Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, and commentaries.Revised and updated throughout, this fifth edition of Practical English Phonetics and Phonology: treats British and American English side-by-side throughout the book, which is new to this edition; presents the essentials of the subject and their day-to-day applications in an engaging and accessible manner; covers all the core concepts of phonetics and phonology, such as the phoneme, syllable structure, production of speech, vowel and consonant possibilities, glottal settings, stress, weak forms, rhythm, intonation and the surprises of connected speech; gives descriptions of the sound systems of Spanish, Italian, French, German, Polish and Japanese
£37.99
Liverpool University Press Liverpool: A Memoir of Words
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
£23.52
Gorgias Press Beth Qatraye
Book SynopsisExplores the historical geography and toponyms of the Beth Qa?raye region.
£55.50
John Murray Press English for the Natives: Discover the Grammar You
Book Synopsis'My first English lesson was grammar with the terrifying Mrs Petrie. She spent the entire time marching up and down the classroom, thwacking various items of school furniture with a ruler while she banged on about the ING part of the verb. I sat there, vibrating with fear, desperately trying to figure out what on earth she could mean. Irregular Negative Gerund? Intransitive Nominative Genitive? It was only years later, when I was teaching English to foreign students, that I realised that English grammar wasn't obscure and wilfully difficult but a fascinating subject which I was already brilliant at - and this book will prove that you are too.'Forget the little you think you know about English grammar and start afresh with this highly entertaining and accessible guide. English for the Natives outlines the rules and structures of our language as they are taught to foreign students - and have never before been explained to us. Harry Ritchie also examines the grammar of dialects as well as standard English and shows how non-standard forms are just as valid. With examples from a wide variety of sources, from Ali G to John Betjeman, Margaret Thatcher to Match of the Day, this essential book reveals some surprising truths about our language and teaches you all the things you didn't know you knew about grammar.Trade ReviewRitchie's approach to English grammar in this entertaining book on the subject is a relief * Sunday Times *This informative read reassures that mastering our language is easier than it seems * Mail on Sunday, Paperback of the Week *A hugely entertaining read, full of attitude and verve and sharp running jokes. And underneath all this lies rigorous linguistic heft, which gives the book real authority * Daily Mail *I learnt a lot about my own language from English for the Natives, and about how our language and our understanding of the world have developed in tandem. And I particularly appreciated Harry Ritchie's bold dismantling of the metaphysics of Chomskyan structuralism. Wonderful to have such a fresh first-hand observation of how language actually works * Michael Frayn *Clear, trenchant, funny, Ritchie makes thinking a pleasure * John Carey *Essential reading * Nick Hornby *An engaging response to an educational disaster . . . This book is sensible, valuable and written with a sense of fun * TLS *How many new books are there about words, grammar and language? Nonetheless, Harry Ritchie's English for the Natives leaps to the top of the pile for its sharp, good sense, linguistic rigour [and] sense of humour -- Marcus Berkmann * The Spectator *On the pleasantly scholarly end of the word book spectrum. Informed by linguistics, it has a particularly good discussion of the controversy between "innatists" (following Chomsky) and others * Guardian *
£12.58
Oxford University Press Inc Word Origins... and How We Know Them
Book SynopsisWord Origins is the only guide to the science and process of etymology for the layperson. This funny, charming, and conversational book not only tells the known origins of hundreds of words, but also shows how their origins were determined. Liberman, an internationally acclaimed etymologist, takes the reader by the hand and explains the many ways that English words can be made, and the many ways in which etymologists try to unearth the origins of words. Part history, part how-to, and completely entertaining, Word Origins invites readers behind the scenes to watch an etymologist at work.Trade ReviewProf. Liberman's excellent book would make a fine Christmas present for anyone interested in the history of the English language. * Irish Times, *
£15.19
Vagabond Voices In Praise of the Garrulous
Book SynopsisThis first and only work of non-fiction by the author of two novels, two collections of short stories and a collection of poetry, has an accessible and conversational tone, which perhaps disguises its enormous ambition. It not only deals with the origins of language to argue its centrality to humanity and the naturalness of bilingualism and multilingualism, but examines how writing and printing built on that centrality to develop the "social mind" - the sum of knowledge within any given society. More recent technological changes have undermined the importance of language in society, and could possibly damage psychological health and society at large. All the arguments are couched in a sceptical approach, and the author principally wants to initiate a debate rather than give a defining analysis of a complex subject. Each chapter is introduced by a short story that illustrates the argument of that chapter.Trade Review"...there is so much here that is important ... and his humanity so winning and welcome, ..." "A deeply reflective, extraordinarily wide-ranging meditation on the nature of language, infused in its every phrase by a passionate humanism" - Terry Eagleton "I like In Praise of the Garrulous very much indeed, not only because it says a good many interesting and true things, but because of its tone and style. Its combination of personal passion, observation, stories, poetic bits and serious expert argument, expressed as it is in the prose of an intelligent conversation: all this is ideal for holding and persuading intelligent but non-expert readers. In my opinion he has done nothing better." - Eric Hobsbawm "This is a brilliant tour de force, in space and time, into the origins of language, speech and the word. From the past to the present you are left with strong doubts about the Idea of Progress and our superiority as a modern, indeed at times post-modern, society over the previous generations. Such a journey into the world of the word needs an articulate and eloquent guide: Allan Cameron is both and much more than that." - Ilan Pappe; "Weaving effortlessly from classical literature to the modern day, In Praise of the Garrulous takes language back from the domain of the pedants and reinstates our proudest achievement at the heart of human society." - Lesley Riddoch "In Praise of the Garrulous is a diverting, chewy read, its tone simultaneously chatty, professorial and even vatic. There are some interesting ideas" - The Sunday HeraldTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Silence, like gold, is the currency of the powerful (an examination of the relationship between language and power) 2. The birth of language (the origins and language as means to story knowledge) 3. Words are a gift from the dead (language is the product of historical happenchance and the cumulative efforts of individuals over generations) 4. The creation of the social mind (the "social mind", a key concept in the author's argument) 5. Big is not beautiful, but merely more profitable (minority languages do the same things as dominant one, but the economies of scale are driving them into extinction) 6. Register (a neglected subject: the disappearance of register over the last thirty years) 7. The need for a lingua franca and its inherent dangers (powerful international languages are necessary lingua frances, but they are a danger to cultural diversity and themselves) 8. Conclusion
£11.95
Bodleian Library Babel: Adventures in Translation
Book SynopsisThis innovative collection of essays shows how linguistic diversity has inspired people across time and cultures to embark on adventurous journeys through the translation of texts. It tells the story of how ideas have travelled via the medium of translation into different languages and cultures, focusing on illustrated examples ranging from Greek papyri through illuminated manuscripts and fine early books to fantasy languages (such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s Elvish), the search for a universal language and the challenges of translation in multicultural Britain. Starting with the concept of Babel itself, which illustrates the early cultural prominence of multilingualism, and with an illustration of a Mediterranean language of four millennia ago (Linear A) which still resists deciphering, it goes on to examine how languages have interacted with each other in different contexts. The book also explores the multilingual transmission of key texts in religion, science (the history of Euclid), animal fable (from Aesop in Greek to Beatrix Potter via La Fontaine, with some fascinating Southeast Asian books), fairy-tale, fantasy and translations of the great Greek epics of Homer. It is lavishly illustrated with a diverse range of material, from papyrus fragments found at Oxyrhynchus to Esperanto handbooks to Asterix cartoons, each offering its own particular adventure into translation.Table of ContentsCONTENTS Foreword 1 Babel: Curse or Blessing? (Matthew Reynolds) 2 ‘Debabelization’: Creating a Universal Language (Dennis Duncan) 3 Translating the Divine (Matthew Reynolds) 4 An Epic Journey: Translating Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey (Stephen Harrison) 5 Translating Tales: Beast-fables around the World (Stephen Harrison) 6 Traversing Realms of Fantasy (Katrin Kohl) 7 Negotiating Multilingual Britain (Katrin Kohl) 8 Languages Lost in Time (Dennis Duncan) Notes Further Reading Acknowledgements Index
£19.00
Broadview Press Ltd This Language, A River: A History of English,
Book SynopsisThis Language, A River is an introduction to the history of English that recognizes multiple varieties of the language in both current and historical contexts. The book aims to enable students to both grasp traditional histories of English, and to extend and complicate those histories. Exercises throughout provide opportunities for puzzling out concepts, committing terms and data to memory, and applying ideas. A comprehensive glossary and up-to-date bibliographies help to guide further study.This accompanying workbook includes exercises keyed to each chapter of the textbook. Exercises are graded into beginning, intermediate and advanced groupings, which will aid in making the textbook appropriate for different levels of students.Trade Review“This Language, A River: Workbook complements the eponymous textbook perfectly and is therefore a fantastic resource for students and instructors alike. With the comprehensive coverage of historical and linguistic phenomena in the textbook, the exercises provided in this workbook allow students to experience the English used in specific periods in a hands-on way, which deepens and broadens the understanding of the history of English. This workbook is extremely accessible. Each chapter features activities for students at different stages in their academic career—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—which allows instructors great flexibility to adjust material for lower and upper division and even graduate-level courses. The way in which the exercises build on each other and become more complex also ensures that no activity is redundant. Even at a higher-level course, the beginner-level exercises will serve as great introductory activities to a specific topic. This workbook is a marvelous resource.” — Dominik Heinrici, The University of Tennessee ChattanoogaTable of Contents 1: Introduction 2: Grammar Fundamentals 3: Before English 4: Introduction to Phonetics 5: Germanic 6: Orthography, Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax 7: Old English 8: Middle English 9: Early Modern English 10: The Modern Period and Global Englishes Glossary of Terms
£26.96
Oxford University Press The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and
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
£12.34
