eBook - ePub

The Secret Life of Words

Name: The Secret Life of Words
ISBN: 9781429941570

How English Became English

Henry Hitchings,

449 pages
English
ePUB (mobile friendly)
Available on iOS & Android

eBook - ePub

The Secret Life of Words

How English Became English

Henry Hitchings,

About this book

"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 Words is 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 as shampoo from Hindi and kiosk from 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 Words is 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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Yes, you can access The Secret Life of Words by Henry Hitchings in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Languages & Linguistics & Historical & Comparative Linguistics. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.