Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue

The Untold History of English

By: John McWhorter

Narrated by: John McWhorter

Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

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 Tongue 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 A.D., 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.)

©2008 John McWhorter (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"McWhorter's iconoclastic impulses and refreshing enthusiasm makes this worth a look for anyone with a love for the language." (Publishers Weekly)

"McWhorter’s energetic, brash delivery of his own spirited and iconoclastic text will appeal to everyone who appreciates the range and caliber of today’s audio production. In some ways, audio is superior to printed text in portraying tone, attitude, values, and in this case, a discussion whose theme is the sound and grammar of words." (AudioFile magazine)

I only wish it was longer

It was a fantastic book. Narration is excellent and the content very interesting. My only complaint is that it's too short.

Interesting but hard to follow

I really like the topic but I found the content hard to follow while listening. It would have been nice to be able to actually see and re-read sections. However, I can't imagine not having McWhorter's pronunciations to listen to either.

All in all I got the point but would have a hard time recommending the book to someone unless they were already interested in learning about the origins and influences on English.

Would be better in print.

Not being able to see some of the words in print misses something in translation.

Enjoyable conversation describing the development of modern English

Dr. McWhorter presents facts and ideas about how our language, especially grammar, evolved over time. He clearly describes his impressions, opinions, as well as precisely what we know and how we know it.
I especially enjoyed his specific examples comparing a variety of words and sentences from several related languages. His ability to smoothly switch between languages with effortless pronunciation made listening more interesting and added to my understanding of the linguistic analysis.
Some reviewers have suggested that he was a bit repetitive to drive home a few of his opinions, but I think he stuck to his purpose and points. Part of why we read is to be exposed to new opinions and differing priorities. I found it interesting to know what he felt strongly about.
A great listen for people with a curiosity about the development of language, especially English, and how society responds to changes in it.

I Stand Accused, Tried, and Convicted

John McWhorter has exposed all self-righteous grammarians in this wonderful course. I admit that much of what he says about pedantics like me who accuse people of bad grammar or vocabulary only do so to claim superiority over the "great unwashed."

Mea culpa. Dr. McWhorter not only makes the accusations - gently and humorously - he supports his case with tons of evidence not only in the history of the English language, but of all languages.

I must admit Prof. McWhorter made me thoroughly enjoy my trial and conviction in a way I never foresaw.

I did not expect quite so much quibbling

Based on the title, I thought this sounded like a linguistic overview of the history of English – for the non-linguist, I hoped. However, it was definitely not that.

Instead, it was really a rather protracted presentation of one side of what is apparently an ongoing argument among linguists, about the grammatical influence of Celtic languages, the Vikings’ influence, etc. As such, much of it was rather repetitive, and frankly, it was mildly interesting at best.

I was sorely tempted to give up at several points, even though it was only five hours and change in length. I did stick with it, only because John McWhorter is an excellent narrator for this long-winded argument.

Insightful and Entertaining

I am not a linguist, but this seems to be a well researched and well argued position on many peculiar facets of the English language. The author/narrator’s delivery was pleasant and easy to listen to. Would recommend.

Oh the joy!

Now this book made sense to me. I love the history, but the story of the language in syntax and context was so much more compelling than just the etymologies,I could have listened to twice this book. I was very interested that this was read by the author, excellent job, the foreign pronunciations in all dialects were astounding and just plain fun to listen to.

Probably better in audio than print

It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect: a bit of a background on why English is the kind of language it is. Not particularly surprising or novel, but it was interesting enough to pass the time. English seems to be different from its "related" languages and the author is quite, err, let's use the word "adamant" (rather than ranting) about the Celtic impact on English. Yes, he does admit that traditional scholars disagree and offers his own "evidence" but it isn't his disagreement with the establishment that got a little annoying but his repetitive "digs" on the subject.

I think it's very suitable for audio because he discusses nuances of language/pronunciation which I don't think would have been as noticeable in writing. He narrates it fairly well, but you can tell it's not his primary job. I think his pronunciation of foreign words was clear enough, and I have no idea if it was correct.

Interesting and Fun Grammar with Out of the Mainst

The author/narrator’s enthusiasm and humor are among the best parts of this book. The author describes some mildly off-beat theories about the evolution of the English language. I enjoyed hearing these ideas even if I was not completely convinced. There is also a bunch of interesting fun facts about English grammar. This book refreshingly focuses mostly on grammar while most other books in this genre emphasis etymology. The material gets a bit complicated for audio from time to time and the author does not always support his theories well enough to be compelling, but overall this was interesting and fun.

It seems to me the author mischaracterizes the mainstream linguists’ hesitation to accept his theories. McWhorter repeatedly points out that the alternative to his theories is to believe some language features appeared at random. When there is insufficient evidence to support a theory about a language feature, most mainstream linguists choose to believe the source of the feature is unknown (and thus may have arisen randomly).