The Story Of English
Robert Mccrum / Robert Macneil / William Cran
The Story of English is the extraordinary tale of the origins and development of the English language. Two thousand years ago English was confined to a handful of savage tribes on the shores of north-west Europe; today, in one form or another, it is spoken by a billion people around the world. More widely scattered, written and spoken than any other language in history, English...
Synopsis
The Story of English is the extraordinary tale of the origins and development of the English language. Two thousand years ago English was confined to a handful of savage tribes on the shores of north-west Europe; today, in one form or another, it is spoken by a billion people around the world. More widely scattered, written and spoken than any other language in history, English has become a global phenomenon. Exploring its amazing success, from its beginnings to the end of the twentieth century, The Story of English - a prelude to Robert McCrum's GLOBISH - is an essential companion for student and general reader alike. A first-rate introduction to one of the most fascinating of subjects' New York Timesa wonderful source for those even half-interested in the language' - Glasgow Heraldmakes old-style language histories look rather like the Book of Common Prayer'a counterblast to the reactionary gurus of grammar' The Timesswift and fascinating' Chicago Tribune
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