Now revised, The Story of English is the first book to tell the whole story of the English language. Originally paired with a major PBS miniseries, this book presents a stimulating and comprehensive record of spoken and written English-from its Anglo-Saxon origins some two thousand years ago to the present day, when English is the dominant language of commerce and culture with more than one billion English speakers around the world. From Cockney, Scouse, and Scots to Gulla, Singlish, Franglais, and the latest African American slang, this sweeping history of the English language is the essential introduction for anyone who wants to know more about our common tongue.
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A tie-in for a nine-part television series to be broadcast over PBS beginning in September, this is a wide-ranging account of the travels and changes of the English tongue from its beginnings to tomorrow, from England to America to Australia to Africa and India and the Pacific. Despite an occasionally perceptible British bias, the authors have tried hard to paint a colorful, vivid picture of the many faces and varieties of English. The text is never dull, but is enlivened by innumerable examples and by interviews with representative individuals: a minister in Scotland, a couple from the Appalachians, a storekeeper in Newfoundland, a Philadelphia shoeshine man, a cockney fruitseller, an Australian farm family, the president of Sierra Leone, a writing professor in India. A readable book that all public libraries should have. BOMC alternate. Catherine V. von Schon, SUNY, Stony Brook
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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'A modern classic.' Sunday Times 'A first-rate introduction to one of the most fascinating of subjects.' The New York Times
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
Twenty years ago, when I was working with William Cran and Robert MacNeil on the research and development stage of the television series that, initially, accompanied the book, not one of us suspected that the linguistic phenomenon were analysing - global English - was on the brink of becoming a worldwide sensation. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Twenty years ago, when I was working with William Cran and Robert MacNeil on the research and development stage of the television series that, initially, accompanied the book, not one of us suspected that the linguistic phenomenon were analysing - global English - was on the brink of becoming a worldwide sensation. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By bernie
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
After watching the series it is fun to see the information in print.
Just about everything you ever wanted to know about the English Language is in this book. There are newer and older references but none so complete and at the same time readable. This book covers history, usage, almost usage and possible futures of the language.
One of my favorite antidotes was the one about how the Advisory Committee on Spoken English (ACSE) discussed the word "canine":
"Shaw brought up the word 'canine', and he wanted the recommendation to be 'cay-nine'... And somebody said 'Mr. Shaw, Mr. Chairman, I don't know why you bring this up, of course it's 'ca-nine'. Shaw said, 'I always pronounce things the way they are pronounced by people who use the word professionally every day.' And he said, 'My dentist always says (cay-nine)'. And somebody said, 'Well, in that case, Mr. Chairman, you must have an American dentist.' And he said, 'Of course, why do you think at 76 I have all my teeth!'"
After reading about how English came about, the next book to read would be "Divided by a Common Language" by Christopher Davies, Jason Murphy
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book back in my 'English Conversation Teacher' days in Japan. Having been embrassed one to many times by students having to lecture me, their teacher, on the history of English, I figured I should do some 'catch-up reading.' I asked around for suggestions and was recommended 'The Story of English'.
It is free of the linguistic jargon most general readers would find pedantic, and although it is aimed at the general reader it is never condescending. The first half of the book explains the historical development of English while the second half focues on modern English.
Most refreshing though, is that it is free of the triumphalism found in many books of this kind. Reflecting the demographic reality of English today, it gives even-handed attention to the many contemporary varieties of English spoken around the world in places such as North America, Singapore, India, the Anglophone West Indies, and so on.
'The Story of English' is best suited to those who are curious about the origins as well as the future of English, and who want an easy-to-understand introduction to the subject.
Format:Paperback
This book is a very readable and well researched introduction to the history of the English language. It contains a great deal of material about the many varieties of English, including separate chapters on Irish English, Scots English, American English, Caribbean English, and Australian and South African English. The photographs and maps that are featured throughout the book are excellent. The maps provide invaluable insights to the historical processes of change, and the pictures make the history come alive. In some places, it is clear that the book was written as a companion to the TV series, when the narrative takes us to an interview with a dialect speaker and then falls flat. If you have access to the video, the motivation for these interviews is much more clear when you can hear the person talk. This book would be excellent for the general reader; it would also make a good textbook for an introductory course on the development of English.
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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Complete History is very Full
I've always been interested in this subject, but could never find enough information on the evolution of the English language. Read more
Published on Aug 21 2003
2.0 out of 5 stars
Lightweights lacking linguistic literacy, levity,
The book takes one of the most interesting, far-reaching, important and fascinating stories in linguistics and makes of it a cardboard, flavorless bit of school days humdrum. Read more
Published on Jun 9 2003 by Marc Cenedella
5.0 out of 5 stars
fantastic overview
This is a wonderfully readable overview of the history of the English language, but very indepth as well. I highly recommend it. Read more
Published on Aug 6 2000 by "ciccia"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great stuff!
This book is a must read for anyone interested in the English language and it's orgins. As an English teacher I have found the book to be a usefull reference and teaching tool. Read more
Published on May 4 2000 by Chad Bagley
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Story of English
I first discovered this book at a local library's used-book sale. I found it fascinating and informative. Read more
Published on Nov 28 1999 by John Chapin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating
I bought this book on a whim, and then spent the next two days finishing it, cover to cover. It was the most engrossing non-fiction book I have ever read. Read more
Published on Sep 12 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended!
I picked up this book out of a longstanding curiosity about the English language and I cannot put it down! Read more
Published on May 13 1999 by Spiros Papadimitriou
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