Henry Hitchings

The Secret Life of Words (eBook, ePUB)

How English Became English

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

"A colorful, thematic history of the English language . . . a fine choice for libraries and a 'smorgasbord' for language aficionados. Highly recommended." -E. L. Battistella, Choice

Words are essential to our everyday lives. An average person spends his or her day enveloped in conversations, e-mails, phone calls, text messages, directions, headlines, and more. But how often do we stop to think about the origins of the words we use? Have you ever thought about which words in English have been borrowed from Arabic, Dutch, or Portuguese? Try admiral, landscape, and marmalade,just for starters. The Secret Life of Wordsis a wide-ranging account not only of the history of English language and vocabulary, but also of how words witness history, reflect social change, and remind us of our past. Henry Hitchings delves into the insatiable, ever-changing English language and reveals how and why it has absorbed words from more than 350 other languages-many originating from the most unlikely of places, such asshampoofrom Hindi andkioskfrom Turkish. From the Norman Conquest to the present day, Hitchings narrates the story of English as a living archive of our human experience. He uncovers the secrets behind everyday words and explores the surprising origins of our most commonplace expressions. The Secret Life of Wordsis a rich, lively celebration of the language and vocabulary that we too often take for granted.

"A galloping history of English-speaking people and lists of words they have borrowed or invented." - The New York Sun

"Hitchings makes a delightful and knowledgeable guide, privy to many fascinating facts about the language . . . A well-researched, fluidly written book." - Booklist

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• Seitenzahl: 448
• Erscheinungstermin: 29. September 2009
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781429941570
• Artikelnr.: 39933769

Autorenporträt

Henry Hitchings was born in 1974. He is the author of The Secret Life of Words, Who's Afraid of Jane Austen?, and Defining the World. He has contributed to many newspapers and magazines and is the theater critic for the London Evening Standard.