Bibliograph

The adventure of English, the biography of a language, Melvyn Bragg

Type

Label

The adventure of English, the biography of a language, Melvyn Bragg

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (p. [303]-312) and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The adventure of English

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

53013029

Responsibility statement

Melvyn Bragg

Sub title

the biography of a language

Summary

A history of the English language traces its evolution from a Germanic dialect around 500 A.D. to its modern form, noting the influence of such groups and individuals as early Anglo-Saxon tribes, Alfred the Great, and William Shakespeare

Table Of Contents

The common tongue -- The great escape -- Conquest -- Holding on -- The speech of kings -- Chaucer -- God's english -- English and the language of the state -- William Tyndale's bible -- A renaissance of words -- Preparing the ground -- Shakespeare's english -- "My America" -- Wild west words -- Sold down the river -- Mastering the language -- The proper way to talk -- Steam, streets and slang -- Indian takeover -- The West Indies -- Advance Australia -- Warts and all -- All over the world -- And now ...?

Classification

Creator