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).

• We started tracking this book on July 20, 2010.
• This book was $12.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 187 times in the past 5,263 days.
• The current price of this book is $8.99 last checked 3 hours ago.
• This lowest price this book has been offered at in the past year is $4.99.
• The lowest price to date was $1.99 last reached on April 15, 2018.
• This book has been $1.99 one time since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was $14.99 last reached on November 22, 2021.
• This book has been $14.99 4 times since we started tracking it.

• Politics & Social Sciences

• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• File Size: 1,046 KB