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Damp Squid: The English Language Laid Bare
 
 

Damp Squid: The English Language Laid Bare (Hardcover)

by Jeremy Butterfield (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
RRP: £9.99
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Product details

  • Hardcover: 176 pages
  • Publisher: OUP Oxford; 1 edition (30 Oct 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0199239061
  • ISBN-13: 978-0199239061
  • Product Dimensions: 19.3 x 14 x 2.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 94,836 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #24 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Linguistics > Historical & Comparative Linguistics > Etymology
    #27 in  Books > Reference > Language > Slang & Jargon
  • See Complete Table of Contents

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Product Description

Review

This book will be irresistible to those who would really like to find out how the English language is behaving. Clearly written and informative, it is a lively guide to that most creative and challenging language, English.
--Alexander McCall Smith

Product Description

Using evidence provided by the world's largest language databank, the Oxford English Corpus, Butterfield uncovers fascinating facts about the English language. Where does our vocabulary come from? How do word meanings change? How is our language really being used? This entertaining book has the up-to-date and authoritative answers to all the key questions about our language. With over 2 billion words contained in the Oxford English Corpus, Butterfield takes a thorough look at the English language and exposes its peculiarities and penchants, its development and difficulties, revealing exactly how it operates. Interpolating his expert knowledge of dictionary-making, Butterfield explains how dictionaries decide which words to include, how they find definitions, and how a Corpus influences the process. Covering all areas of English, from spelling and speech to idioms and idiosyncrasies, including a thoughtful chapter about the future of English, and with entertaining examples and useful charts throughout, this compelling and lively book contains something for everyone.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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2 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating read, 17 Dec 2008
By M. J. C. Griffin (France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
What have "women and sticks" to do with "cats and dogs" ? What do "which" and "want" have in common? What is a corpus, and why does it matter ? The answers to these - and many more - questions are all to be found in this gem of a book.

Jeremy Butterfield writes with wit, style and authority on the elusive mysteries of the English language - a subject to which he has dedicated the bulk of his working life. The book is a fascinating and highly informative analysis of how our language is used and how it is evolving.

Highly recommended.
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3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Xmas entertainment, 1 Feb 2009
I gave this book to my husband, who is a scientist, as a Christmas present. I was a bit doubtful whether he would enjoy it, as it is not the sort of book he would choose to read. However, it was a great success! He didn't put it down and read it all in one sitting, and often treated the rest of the family to entertaining quotes from it.
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