Lost For Words
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Review
'Humphrys is passionate about language – and very funny too' (Rod Liddle )
'Greatly enjoyable' (Simon Hoggart, Guardian )
'for all those who care about the English language' (Ann Widdecombe, New Statesman )
'It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' (Jonathan Keates, Spectator )
'Timely and lively' (Sunday Telegraph )
'Let us be very clear about this from the start: John Humphrys is a Good Thing' (Evening Standard )
'the Jack Russell of the Today programme has now chosen to take some well aimed snaps at solecism, jargon, cliche and weasel words... It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' (Spectator )
'I commend Citizen Humphrys' (Daily Mail )
'You will have fun with this book' (Guardian )
'an exquisite sensitivity to the misuse of the English language' (The Sunday Times )
'Greatly enjoyable' (Simon Hoggart, Guardian )
'for all those who care about the English language' (Ann Widdecombe, New Statesman )
'It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' (Jonathan Keates, Spectator )
'Timely and lively' (Sunday Telegraph )
'Let us be very clear about this from the start: John Humphrys is a Good Thing' (Evening Standard )
'the Jack Russell of the Today programme has now chosen to take some well aimed snaps at solecism, jargon, cliche and weasel words... It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' (Spectator )
'I commend Citizen Humphrys' (Daily Mail )
'You will have fun with this book' (Guardian )
'an exquisite sensitivity to the misuse of the English language' (The Sunday Times )
Review
'Humphrys is passionate about language -- and very funny too' -- Rod Liddle 20040901 'Greatly enjoyable' -- Simon Hoggart, Guardian 20040901 'for all those who care about the English language' -- Ann Widdecombe, New Statesman 20040901 'It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' -- Jonathan Keates, Spectator 20040901 'Timely and lively' -- Sunday Telegraph 20040901 'Let us be very clear about this from the start: John Humphrys is a Good Thing' -- Evening Standard 20040901 'the Jack Russell of the Today programme has now chosen to take some well aimed snaps at solecism, jargon, cliche and weasel words... It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' -- Spectator 20040901 'I commend Citizen Humphrys' -- Daily Mail 20040901 'You will have fun with this book' -- Guardian 20041204 'an exquisite sensitivity to the misuse of the English language' -- The Sunday Times 20041101
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have just read the other Amazon reviews of this book and I'd like to start by saying that I find it exasperating when people criticize an author for giving their personal opinion when that author states quite clearly at the start of the book that they are giving their personal opinion!
This is John Humphry's view of the sad decline in the correct use of English. He's not an academic, so this is not a rule book (though you may well learn something - I certainly did). He's an experienced journalist and broadcaster, and as such he is an expert at spotting when people use fancy words to say very little. There are some fantastic examples in here of advertising jargon and political guff. And he's not afraid to name and shame the worst offenders. The section on business-speak gives a mind-boggling selection of non-words. I have to confess that I now regularly threaten to 'de-individuate' my sons when they don't get ready quickly enough in the morning.
Humphrys accepts that English is constantly evolving and he acknowledges that he is intensely irritated by some linguistic developments that are happily accepted by others. There is certainly an element of Grumpy Old Man-ism here but personally I find that quite entertaining.
In summary this book is a personal view of the abuse and misuse of English. Keep that in mind and you won't go far wrong.
77 of 82 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This has been a great read and is more than just waking up with John Humphrys in the morning. The book is funny and sharp in its capturing the essence of what our language is going through. I loved the bits where he takes the language of politicians and exposes the conscious manipulation. It's more than about politics;everyone who misuses language (and there are a lot of them about including himself) gets caught in his sights. But it's not a pedantic book. It's very entertaining.
57 of 65 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This really is a good book. I thought at first it was going to be a Humphry's rant, which it is but it is also very much more.The first half of the book is about mangling language. Humphreys cares passionately that language should be used to communicate and it upsets him when it does the opposite ,either deliberately or through neglect. He uses examples, written and spoken, from a variety of sources to illustrate mangling. however, I think the book is best when Humphrys shows us how politicians,advertisers and others deliberately mangle language to hide the truth or to communicate an idea so losely that they cannot be held accountable for it. He shows how language can be used to communicate along a spectrum running from clarity to deception. But he's not a pendant. He believes that almost every language rule can be broken as long as it is clear. Readers will also discover that they are not the only ones to listen to the weather forecast but hear nothing. Humphrys manages all of this with great humour.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ever wonder why all these books about language decline are written by...
Like all armchair language police, Humphrys has no idea what he's talking about. As the most basic linguistics module would have taught him, language is a form of social behaviour:... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. W. H. Abberley
Humphrys' Language
Having been an avid listener to John Humphrys' for many years, the thought of him lost for words left me puzzled; there have been times when I asked him (out loud in the car) to... Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
Complete and utter drivel
Me and my wife got this book for Christmas (yes, not my wife and I - I am not the Queen). I cannot believe how terrible it is. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Seán
1946
In 1946, Orwell launched his essay 'Politics and the English Language' with the words:
'Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is... Read more
'Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Yahshua
Another lost cause !!
An amusing but trenchant review of the misuse of the English language. Will NOT be read by all politicians, marketing and media wonks. The medium but *** the message.
Published on 1 Feb 2010 by Frederick W. Morrad
Mangling and Manipulating the Message
The first half of this book is a long rumbling grumble about the state of modern youth, modern teaching and all things modern that impact on the English language. Read more
Published on 8 April 2009 by John Holland
Incisive and amusing
I like this man, he is not an academic and he has a great ability see through the whaffle and nonsense to which we are all exposed on a daily basis in the media, and politics, I... Read more
Published on 3 May 2008 by V. Brean
Gives us pause for thought, before thought too is controlled
Subtitled `The Mangling and manipulating of the English Language', this book is an enjoyable rant from journalist and BBC presenter Humphrys; you can almost hear his voice as you... Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2008 by R. Nicholson-morton
Disssapinting and Thrown away!
What can I say?
I gave up reading after 180 pages of the same, repetitive, dull writing. There is nothing enlightening about the English language and use in this book, just... Read more
I gave up reading after 180 pages of the same, repetitive, dull writing. There is nothing enlightening about the English language and use in this book, just... Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2007 by R. Christison
Cackleworthy!
I was given this book, in its paperback edition, as a birthday gift. I'm normally a fiction reader and tend to veer away from anything that doesn't provide a bit of escapism from... Read more
Published on 1 May 2007 by N. Stratford
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