{"product_id":"our-magnificent-bastard-tongue-the-untold-history-of-english","title":"Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English","description":"\u003cbody\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eTitle: \u003c\/b\u003eOur Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor: \u003c\/b\u003eJohn McWhorter\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN: \u003c\/b\u003e9781592404940\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/b\u003eAvery\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished: \u003c\/b\u003e2009\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding: \u003c\/b\u003ePaperback\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage: \u003c\/b\u003eEnglish\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNumber of Pages: \u003c\/b\u003e256\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Note: \u003c\/b\u003eClean, unmarked copy with some edge wear. Good binding. Dust jacket included if issued with one. We ship in recyclable American-made mailers. 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher Description: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eA survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhy 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCovering 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, \u003ci\u003eOur Magnificent Bastard Tongue \u003c\/i\u003eultimately 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).\u003c\/body\u003e","brand":"Avery","offers":[{"title":"Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English | John McWhorter | Paperback | 9781592404940 | Used: Very Good | History 1712462","offer_id":48537778585752,"sku":"1712462","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1609\/4360\/files\/812-X7U-aKL.jpg?v=1773500926","url":"https:\/\/roundaboutbookstore.com\/products\/our-magnificent-bastard-tongue-the-untold-history-of-english","provider":"Roundabout Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}