'Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold Story of English' by John McWhorter explores the fascinating history of the English language, highlighting its oddities and influences from various languages like Celtic, Viking, and even Phoenician. McWhorter delves into the evolving grammar of English, celebrating its quirks and complexities while proposing arguments for why English is unique compared to other Germanic and Indo-European languages. Through an engaging and accessible writing style, McWhorter presents a revisionist history of English, challenging traditional views and shedding light on the impact of different linguistic influences on the language's development.
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A survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar
Why do we say "I am reading a catalog" instead of "I read a catalog"? Why do we say "do" at all? Is the way we speak a reflection of our cultural values? Delving into these provocative topics and more, Our Magnificent Bastard Language distills hundreds of years of fascinating lore into one lively history.
Covering such turning points as the little-known Celtic and Welsh influences on English, the impact of the Viking raids and the Norman Conquest, and the Germanic invasions that started it all during the fifth century ad, John McWhorter narrates this colorful evolution with vigor. Drawing on revolutionary genetic and linguistic research as well as a cache of remarkable trivia about the origins of English words and syntax patterns, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue ultimately demonstrates the arbitrary, maddening nature of English- and its ironic simplicity due to its role as a streamlined lingua franca during the early formation of Britain. This is the book that language aficionados worldwide have been waiting for (and no, it's not a sin to end a sentence with a preposition).
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