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Loading... Mother Tongue : The English Language (original 1990; edition 1991)by Bill Bryson (Author)
Work InformationThe Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson (1990)
  
No current Talk conversations about this book. Entertaining, informative, occasionally erroneous. I looked into his comment indicating that non-human animals can't choke on food and that this is a price we pay for speech. I found the source in Google books, and discussed it with Perry Habecker at New Boulton - almost certainly false. (  ) markm2315 | Jul 1, 2023 |  Read this years ago. As I recall, it was entertaining, but not that accurate. I don't agree with the arguments and I have a special dislike for popular exoticizing of foreign words (or lack of). (  ) Kiramke | Jun 27, 2023 | Several errors I found make me wonder about the ones I did not. Not well researched (  ) Jacobo_Blanco | Jun 27, 2023 | Now this is a book that I can read 4-5 times without getting bored. (  ) paarth7 | May 6, 2023 | As always Bill Bryson takes a subject and tells you everything you ever wanted to know about it plus lots of stuff you didn't know you wanted to know. In hindsight, I think this book would have been better read than listened to as there were many references where the narrator, Stephen McLaughlin, was spelling out words. Maybe other people have better visualization skills than I do but I found in difficult to understand what information was being conveyed this way. If I was looking at the word it would have been obvious. Nevertheless, I found this look at the English language with all its oddities of spelling and pronunciation quite fascinating. Any other word nerd should also enjoy it. (  ) gypsysmom | Feb 13, 2023 | no reviews | add a review
Has as a student's study guide
With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson-the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent-brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't), to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries. No library descriptions found. |
Popular covers
 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)420.9Language English English and Old English (Anglo-Saxon) English language--historyLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.85)
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Wikipedia in English (7)
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