A unique collection of original essays by 21 of the world's leading linguists. The topics discussed focus on some of the most popular myths about language: The Media Are Ruining English; Children Can't Speak or Write Properly Anymore; America is Ruining the English Language. The tone is lively and entertaining throughout and there are cartoons from Doonesbury andThe Wizard of Id to illustrate some of the points. The book should have a wide readership not only amongst students who want to read leading linguists writing about popular misconceptions but also amongst the large number of people who enjoy reading about language in general.
Language Myths
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About the Author
Peter Trudgill and Laurie Bauer are both respected linguists. Trudgill has written many books for Penguin (including Sociolinguistics which has sold 130,000 copies since it was first published in 1974). Other contributors include Jean Aitchison (Professor of Language at Oxford), Lars Gunnar-Andersson (co-author of Bad Language with Trudgill) and Janet Holmes (Women, Men and Politeness, 1995, Longman). Peter Trudgill lives in Lausanne (and sometimes Norwich.) Laurie Bauer lives in New Zealand.
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First Sentence
All languages change all the time. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
All languages change all the time. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Unfortunately, linguistic research is generally inaccessible to the non-linguist and so much that is written about human language for the masses is by non-specialists who take the opportunity to air their own prejudices. This book addresses many misconceptions about language, often supported by highly reputable authors who nevertheless can be shown to know nothing about the way language works. As editor Peter Trudgill says, if you want to know about physics, you ask a physicist; and if you want to know about language you ask a linguist and not just someone who has used it successfully in the past. The chapters are written by highly competent academics who are well-known in the linguistics community, and despite their being written for lay readers, there is much here that is also relevant for linguists and students of language. Read this book to find out how all languages are equally complex, why linguistic change is inevitable, and to laugh at the rubbish newspapers print.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Emma
Format:Paperback
This is a really great book which aims to dispel commonly held beliefs about language. It's written in a simple, entertaining style that is easy to read, and the fact that it's made up of chapters written by different authors means that it's good to dip in and out of.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is well and understandably written.
However, I'd be surprised if linguists would find this book interesting. I'm not one and find it trivial. Most of the "myths" are nothing but prejudices, often with a tinge of racism or nationalism, and not even that interesting to begin with. Anybody with a little bit of common-sense can dismantle these myths without the help of a linguist. The only thing this book adds to that are some references to scientific literature to back up the arguments for and mainly against these myths.
It's a good enough read but after all the 5-star reviews I expected more (content, information) from it.
However, I'd be surprised if linguists would find this book interesting. I'm not one and find it trivial. Most of the "myths" are nothing but prejudices, often with a tinge of racism or nationalism, and not even that interesting to begin with. Anybody with a little bit of common-sense can dismantle these myths without the help of a linguist. The only thing this book adds to that are some references to scientific literature to back up the arguments for and mainly against these myths.
It's a good enough read but after all the 5-star reviews I expected more (content, information) from it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Language myths
Helpful and thoughtful collection of well written yet erudite views by world-class liguistics experts..
A book to dip into for information.
A book to dip into for information.
Published 1 month ago by Susan
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Language Myth Myth
The real problem for a book like this is that it usually ends up preaching to the converted,whilst the people who should be reading it (and at whom it is ostensibly aimed) seldom... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. D. L. Wood
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but extremely academical
I have bought this book, because as a translator and interpreter I like very much to read new things and new teories about the l subject: language. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Paula FC
5.0 out of 5 stars
A study of the nature of language
Readers interested in linguistics will learn that language change can't be prevented because it is a self-regulating system which takes care of itself. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2007 by HORAK
5.0 out of 5 stars
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As a linguist, people often ask you what you do, what it entails and sometimes a heated argument will arise with people saying how rubbish US English is and why German is an awful... Read more
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