Words Words Words

Words Words Words

by David Crystal
Words Words Words

Words Words Words

by David Crystal

eBook

$10.49  $11.99 Save 13% Current price is $10.49, Original price is $11.99. You Save 13%.

Available on Compatible NOOK Devices and the free NOOK Apps.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers

LEND ME® See Details

Overview

Words, Words, Words is all about the wonder of words. Drawing on a lifetime's experience, David Crystal explores language in all its rich varieties through words: the very building blocks of our communication. Language has no life of its own: it only exists in the mouths and ears, hands, eyes and brains of its users. As we are guided expertly and passionately through the mysteries and delights of word origins, histories, spellings, regional and social variations, taboo words, jargon, and wordplay, the contribution we all play in shaping the linguistic world around us becomes evident. Words, Words, Words is a celebration of what we say and how we say it. It invites us to engage linguistically with who we are: to understand what words tell us about where we come from and what we do. And as they continually shape our lives, it suggests ways that we can look at words anew and get involved with collecting and coining words ourselves.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780191607295
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication date: 04/26/2007
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Sales rank: 979,012
File size: 3 MB

About the Author

David Crystal is the foremost writer and lecturer on the English language, with a world-wide reputation and over 100 books to his name. He is Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor, and has been awarded an OBE for services to the English Language.

Table of Contents


Preface     vii
The universe of words     1
Wordsmithery     3
Wordhoards     9
Wordgrowth     18
Wordfields     25
Wordworks     33
The origins of words     41
Wordstarts     43
Wordlore     50
Wordloans     59
Wordbuilding     64
Wordnaming     72
The diversity of words     81
Wordspells     83
Wordsounds     90
Wordendings     98
Wordregions     105
Wordgangs     113
Wordworlds     119
Wordrisks     127
The evolution of words     135
Wordbirths     137
Worddeaths     142
Wordchanges     149
Wordfutures     155
The enjoyment of words     165
Wordmelodies     167
Wordplay     172
Wordgames     177
Wordmasters     183
Becoming a word detective     187
How to find out the history of a word     189
How to find out about the meaning of names     191
How toget involved with dictionaries     194
How to estimate the size of your vocabulary     196
How to keep a record of your child's words     198
How to decide whether sounds have meanings     201
How to get involved with dialects     203
How to find out more about words     205
Index of subjects     208
Index of people     212
Index of words     215
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews