Mother Tongue: The English Language

Type

Book

Authors

Bill Bryson

ISBN 10

014014305X

ISBN 13

9780140143058

Tags

english, anglais, history, humor, humour, Historical Study & Educational Resources, Linguistics

Abstract

How did English, 'treated for centuries as the inadequate and second-rate tongue of peasants' become the undisputed global language? How did words like shampoo, sofa and rowdy (and others drawn from over fifty languages) find their way into our dictionary? In this revealing and often hilarious book, Bill Bryson examines the mother tongue and explores the countless varieties of English and the perils of marketing brands with names like Pschitt and Super Piss. With entertaining sections on the oddities of swearing and spelling, spoonerisms and Scrabble, and a consideration of what we mean by 'good English', Mother Tongue is one of the most stimulating books yet written on this endlessly engrossing subject

Description

Compétences : Lire Débutant complet : non
Thèmes : Culture et civilisation
Documents inclus : Texte littéraire original
Descriptif : Sorte de "traité" sur la langue anglaise, expliquant ses origines, son état actuel et les tendances de son évolution, le tout relaté sur un ton souvent enjoué.

Number of Copies