Offers an eye-opening tour of the English language through the ages from Britain's leading linguistics expert. In this history of the world's ubiquitous language, this title draws on words that illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences and events that have helped to shape our vernacular since the first definitively English word was written down in the fifth century. David Crystal takes us along the winding byways of language via the rude, the obscure and the downright surprising.
The Story of English in One Hundred Words Synopsis
David Crystal, draws on words that best illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences and events that have helped to shape our vernacular since the first definitively English word was written down in the fifth century ('roe', in case you are wondering). It features Latinate and Celtic words, weasel words and nonce-words, ancient words ('loaf') to cutting edge ('twittersphere') and spanning the indispensable words that shape our tongue ('and', 'what') to the more fanciful ('fopdoodle'),
'Crystal's book is full of distractions and delights' (Daily Express)
'One of [Crystal's] best... it builds gradually into a kind of linguistic tapestry, packed with abstruse information, wonderfully readable' (Spectator)
'If the history of language is a sort of labyrinth, David Crystal is an excellent guide' (The Age, Australia)
Author
About David Crystal
David Crystal is the foremost expert on English, and honorary professor of linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor. He has written many books and published articles in fields ranging from forensic linguistics and ELT to the liturgy and Shakespeare.
