-
Highly Irregular
- Why Tough, Through, and Dough Don't Rhyme - And Other Oddities of the English Language
- Narrado por: Arika Okrent
- Duración: 5 h y 16 m
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Error al Agregar a Lista de Deseos.
Error al eliminar de la lista de deseos.
Error al añadir a tu biblioteca
Error al seguir el podcast
Error al dejar de seguir el podcast
Exclusivo para miembros Prime: ¿Nuevo en Audible? Obtén 2 audiolibros gratis con tu prueba.
Highly Irregular
Compra ahora por US$19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Los oyentes también disfrutaron...
-
Words on the Move
- Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally)
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 7 h y 2 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,401
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,264
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,256
Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like? And have you ever wondered why some people from New Orleans sound as if they come from Brooklyn?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Review By a Fan
- De Margaret en 09-25-16
De: John McWhorter
-
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
- The Untold History of English
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 5 h y 22 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 3,995
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 3,375
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 3,351
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great for casual linguists
- De Bertie en 01-11-10
De: John McWhorter
-
Word by Word
- The Secret Life of Dictionaries
- De: Kory Stamper
- Narrado por: Kory Stamper
- Duración: 9 h y 48 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 472
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 422
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 418
While most of us might take dictionaries for granted, the process of writing them is in fact as lively and dynamic as language itself. With sharp wit and irreverence, Kory Stamper cracks open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography - from the agonizing decisions about what and how to define to the knotty questions of usage in an ever-changing language.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Kory should narrate more Audible books!
- De Friendly en 04-24-17
De: Kory Stamper
-
What's Gotten into You
- The Story of Your Body's Atoms, from the Big Bang Through Last Night's Dinner
- De: Dan Levitt
- Narrado por: Mike Chamberlain
- Duración: 12 h y 38 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 103
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 85
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars 85
Every one of us contains a billion times more atoms than all the grains of sand in the earth’s deserts. If you weigh 150 pounds, you’ve got enough carbon to make 25 pounds of charcoal, enough salt to fill a saltshaker, enough chlorine to disinfect several backyard swimming pools, and enough iron to forge a 3-inch nail. But how did these elements combine to make us human?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One of the Very Best Science Books I have Read
- De TStair en 03-20-23
De: Dan Levitt
-
Money
- The True Story of a Made-Up Thing
- De: Jacob Goldstein
- Narrado por: Jacob Goldstein
- Duración: 5 h y 37 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,697
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 1,455
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,449
The cohost of the popular NPR podcast Planet Money provides a well-researched, entertaining, somewhat irreverent look at how money is a made-up thing that has evolved over time to suit humanity's changing needs.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
well researched and written but,
- De C&S en 09-29-20
De: Jacob Goldstein
-
Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet
- De: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 6 h y 18 m
- Grabación Original
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Embark on a journey to the very beginning of writing as a tool of language and see how the many threads of history and linguistics came together to create the alphabet that forms the foundation of English writing. Your guide is Professor John McWhorter of Columbia University and in the 16 lectures of Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet, he will help you navigate the complex linguistic and cultural history behind one of our most crucial tools of communication.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic narration & interesting content
- De Shelby en 06-06-23
De: John McWhorter, y otros
-
Words on the Move
- Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally)
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 7 h y 2 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,401
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,264
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,256
Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like? And have you ever wondered why some people from New Orleans sound as if they come from Brooklyn?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Review By a Fan
- De Margaret en 09-25-16
De: John McWhorter
-
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
- The Untold History of English
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 5 h y 22 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 3,995
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 3,375
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 3,351
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great for casual linguists
- De Bertie en 01-11-10
De: John McWhorter
-
Word by Word
- The Secret Life of Dictionaries
- De: Kory Stamper
- Narrado por: Kory Stamper
- Duración: 9 h y 48 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 472
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 422
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 418
While most of us might take dictionaries for granted, the process of writing them is in fact as lively and dynamic as language itself. With sharp wit and irreverence, Kory Stamper cracks open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography - from the agonizing decisions about what and how to define to the knotty questions of usage in an ever-changing language.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Kory should narrate more Audible books!
- De Friendly en 04-24-17
De: Kory Stamper
-
What's Gotten into You
- The Story of Your Body's Atoms, from the Big Bang Through Last Night's Dinner
- De: Dan Levitt
- Narrado por: Mike Chamberlain
- Duración: 12 h y 38 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 103
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 85
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars 85
Every one of us contains a billion times more atoms than all the grains of sand in the earth’s deserts. If you weigh 150 pounds, you’ve got enough carbon to make 25 pounds of charcoal, enough salt to fill a saltshaker, enough chlorine to disinfect several backyard swimming pools, and enough iron to forge a 3-inch nail. But how did these elements combine to make us human?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One of the Very Best Science Books I have Read
- De TStair en 03-20-23
De: Dan Levitt
-
Money
- The True Story of a Made-Up Thing
- De: Jacob Goldstein
- Narrado por: Jacob Goldstein
- Duración: 5 h y 37 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,697
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 1,455
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,449
The cohost of the popular NPR podcast Planet Money provides a well-researched, entertaining, somewhat irreverent look at how money is a made-up thing that has evolved over time to suit humanity's changing needs.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
well researched and written but,
- De C&S en 09-29-20
De: Jacob Goldstein
-
Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet
- De: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 6 h y 18 m
- Grabación Original
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Embark on a journey to the very beginning of writing as a tool of language and see how the many threads of history and linguistics came together to create the alphabet that forms the foundation of English writing. Your guide is Professor John McWhorter of Columbia University and in the 16 lectures of Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet, he will help you navigate the complex linguistic and cultural history behind one of our most crucial tools of communication.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic narration & interesting content
- De Shelby en 06-06-23
De: John McWhorter, y otros
-
How Dead Languages Work
- De: Coulter H. George
- Narrado por: James Cameron Stewart
- Duración: 13 h y 2 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 19
This volume celebrates six such languages - Ancient Greek, Latin, Old English, Sanskrit, Old Irish, and Biblical Hebrew - by first introducing listeners to their most distinctive features, then showing how these linguistic traits play out in short excerpts from actual ancient texts. It explores, for instance, how Homer's Greek shows signs of oral composition, how Horace achieves striking poetic effects through interlaced word order in his Latin, and how the poet of Beowulf attains remarkable intensity of expression through the resources of Old English.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Surprisingly fun
- De RB en 09-29-21
-
The Social Transformation of American Medicine
- The Rise of a Sovereign Profession and the Making of a Vast Industry
- De: Paul Starr
- Narrado por: Sean Runnette
- Duración: 24 h y 5 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 90
Considered the definitive history of the American healthcare system, The Social Transformation of American Medicine examines how the roles of doctors, hospitals, health plans, and government programs have evolved over the last two and a half centuries. Updated with a new preface and an epilogue analyzing developments since the early 1980s, this new edition is a must-listen for anyone concerned about the future of our fraught healthcare system.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating Survey of Healthcare in Amerixa
- De Rob en 06-24-19
De: Paul Starr
-
Doppelganger
- A Trip into the Mirror World
- De: Naomi Klein
- Narrado por: Naomi Klein
- Duración: 14 h y 47 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 529
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 491
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 490
What if you woke up one morning and found you’d acquired another self—a double who was almost you and yet not you at all? What if that double shared many of your preoccupations but, in a twisted, upside-down way, furthered the very causes you’d devoted your life to fighting against? Not long ago, the celebrated activist and public intellectual Naomi Klein had just such an experience—she was confronted with a doppelganger whose views she found abhorrent but whose name and public persona were sufficiently similar to her own that many people got confused about who was who.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Elite Psychobabble
- De A Reviewer en 09-30-23
De: Naomi Klein
-
Language Unlimited
- The Science Behind Our Most Creative Power
- De: David Adger
- Narrado por: David Adger
- Duración: 9 h y 10 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Narración:4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars 4
All humans, but no other species, have the capacity to create and understand language. It provides structure to our thoughts, allowing us to plan, communicate, and create new ideas, without limit. Yet we have only finite experiences, and our languages have finite stores of words. Where does our linguistic creativity come from? How does the endless scope of language emerge from our limited selves? Drawing on research from neuroscience, psychology, and linguistics, David Adger takes the listener on a journey to the hidden structure behind all we say (or sign) and understand.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Useful and interesting content but awful reader
- De Cliente Amazon en 11-23-20
De: David Adger
-
Dragon Heist
- De: Alexander C. Kane
- Narrado por: Khristine Hvam
- Duración: 9 h y 7 m
- Grabación Original
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 478
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 388
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 387
Birdie Binkowitz is just a little bitter. As a young actress, she was the toast of Hollywood, definitely destined for greatness. Then the dragons had to rise up from their thousand-year slumber, take over Earth and ruin everything. Twenty years later, Birdie is living her worst life in her hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, working at her father's Seed and Feed (and Bagels). Then, a mysterious dragon appears in front of the store seeking her help. He’s got a bone to pick with his fellow dragons–and he wants to hit them where it hurts.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Just finished my second listen
- De Kalena en 05-05-23
-
Our Oriental Heritage
- The Story of Civilization, Volume 1
- De: Will Durant
- Narrado por: Robin Field
- Duración: 50 h y 17 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,278
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,137
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,129
The first volume of Will Durant's Pulitzer Prize-winning series, Our Oriental Heritage: The Story of Civilization, Volume I chronicles the early history of Egypt, the Middle East, and Asia.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful
- De Michael en 11-30-13
De: Will Durant
-
The Voltage Effect
- How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale
- De: John A. List
- Narrado por: Will Damron
- Duración: 8 h y 26 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 309
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 267
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 265
Translating an idea into widespread impact, says University of Chicago economist John A. List, depends on one thing only: whether it can achieve “high voltage”—the ability to be replicated at scale. In The Voltage Effect, List explains that scalable ideas share a common set of attributes, while any number of attributes can doom an unscalable idea. Drawing on his original research, as well as fascinating examples from the realms of business, policymaking, education, and public health, he identifies five measurable vital signs that a scalable idea must possess.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Awefully stupid book
- De Jinru Li en 09-04-22
De: John A. List
-
Dreyer's English
- An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style
- De: Benjamin Dreyer
- Narrado por: Benjamin Dreyer, Alison Fraser
- Duración: 9 h y 38 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 338
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 294
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 281
As Random House’s copy chief, Dreyer has upheld the standards of the legendary publisher for more than two decades. He is beloved by authors and editors alike - not to mention his followers on social media - for deconstructing the English language with playful erudition. Now, he distills everything he has learned from the myriad books he has copyedited and overseen into a useful guide not just for writers but for everyone who wants to put their best prose foot forward.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
You'll be horrified at a lifetime of usage errors.
- De RTaylor en 05-16-19
De: Benjamin Dreyer
-
Nasty, Brutish, and Short
- Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids
- De: Scott Hershovitz
- Narrado por: Scott Hershovitz
- Duración: 9 h y 31 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 174
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 146
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 144
Some of the best philosophers in the world gather in surprising places—preschools and playgrounds. They debate questions about metaphysics and morality, even though they’ve never heard those words and can’t tie their shoes. They’re kids. And as University of Michigan professor of philosophy and law Scott Hershovitz shows, they can help grown-ups solve some of life’s greatest mysteries.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good narration, solid listen
- De Vanessa en 08-12-22
De: Scott Hershovitz
-
The Skeptics' Guide to the Future
- What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us About the World of Tomorrow
- De: Dr. Steven Novella, Bob Novella - contributor, Jay Novella - contributor
- Narrado por: Dr. Steven Novella
- Duración: 13 h y 51 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 251
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 203
In THE SKEPTICS' GUIDE TO THE FUTURE, Steven Novella and his co-authors build upon the work of futurists of the past by examining what they got right, what they got wrong, and how they came to those conclusions. By exploring the pitfalls of each era, they give their own speculations about the distant future, transformed by unbelievable technology ranging from genetic manipulation to artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Thin gruel from the rogues
- De James Weisner en 11-27-22
De: Dr. Steven Novella, y otros
-
The Etymologicon
- A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
- De: Mark Forsyth
- Narrado por: Don Hagen
- Duración: 7 h y 1 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 2,375
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 2,149
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 2,121
The Etymologicon is a completely unauthorized guide to the strange underpinnings of the English language. It explains: How you get from “gruntled” to “disgruntled”; why you are absolutely right to believe that your meager salary barely covers “money for salt”; how the biggest chain of coffee shops in the world (hint: Seattle) connects to whaling in Nantucket; and what precisely the Rolling Stones have to do with gardening.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Maddening! Does not work as an audiobook!
- De James en 01-05-16
De: Mark Forsyth
-
Dress Codes
- How the Laws of Fashion Made History
- De: Richard Thompson Ford
- Narrado por: Bill Andrew Quinn
- Duración: 13 h y 48 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 25
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 23
For centuries, clothing has been a wearable status symbol; fashion, a weapon in struggles for social change; and dress codes, a way to maintain political control. Dress codes evolved along with the social and political ideals of the day, but they always reflected struggles for power and status.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Unlistenable
- De Lauren en 08-01-23
Resumen del Editor
Maybe you've been speaking English all your life, or maybe you learned it later on. But whether you use it just well enough to get your daily business done or you're an expert with a red pen who never omits a comma or misplaces a modifier, you must have noticed that there are some things about this language that are just weird.
Perhaps you're reading a book and stop to puzzle over absurd spelling rules (Why are there so many ways to say "-gh"?), or you hear someone talking and get stuck on an expression (Why do we say "How dare you" but not "How try you"?), or your kid quizzes you on homework (Why is it "11 and 12" instead of "oneteen and twoteen"?). Suddenly you ask yourself, "Wait, why do we do it this way?" You think about it, try to explain it, and keep running into walls. It doesn't conform to logic. It doesn't work the way you'd expect it to. There doesn't seem to be any rule at all.
There might not be a logical explanation, but there will be an explanation, and this book is here to help.
In Highly Irregular, Arika Okrent answers these questions and many more. Along the way she tells the story of the many influences - from invading French armies to stubborn Flemish printers - that made our language the way it is today. Both an entertaining send-up of linguistic oddities and a deeply researched history of English, Highly Irregular is essential for anyone who has paused to wonder about our marvelous mess of a language.
Related to this topic
-
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
- The Untold History of English
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 5 h y 22 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 3,995
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 3,375
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 3,351
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great for casual linguists
- De Bertie en 01-11-10
De: John McWhorter
-
Words on the Move
- Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally)
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 7 h y 2 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,401
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,264
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,256
Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like? And have you ever wondered why some people from New Orleans sound as if they come from Brooklyn?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Review By a Fan
- De Margaret en 09-25-16
De: John McWhorter
-
The Mother Tongue
- De: Bill Bryson
- Narrado por: Stephen McLaughlin
- Duración: 10 h y 44 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,261
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,094
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 1,088
With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson - the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent - brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience, and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't) to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
More satire than history
- De Barbara Kindle Customer en 12-18-15
De: Bill Bryson
-
The Art of Language Invention
- From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves, the Words Behind World-Building
- De: David J. Peterson
- Narrado por: David J. Peterson
- Duración: 9 h y 23 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 87
From master language creator David J. Peterson comes a creative guide to language construction for sci-fi and fantasy fans, writers, game creators, and language lovers. Peterson offers a captivating overview of language creation, covering its history from Tolkien's creations and Klingon to today's thriving global community of conlangers.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great resource, but not conducive to audiobook
- De Ashley T. en 04-18-16
-
The Story of English in 100 Words
- De: David Crystal
- Narrado por: David Crystal
- Duración: 7 h y 56 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 268
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 231
In this unique new history of the world's most ubiquitous language, linguistics expert David Crystal draws on words that best illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences, and events that have helped to shape our vernacular since the first definitively English word was written down in the fifth century ("roe", in case you are wondering). Featuring Latinate and Celtic words, weasel words and nonce-words, ancient words ("loaf") to cutting edge ("twittersphere") and spanning the indispensable words that shape our tongue ("and", "what") to the more fanciful ("fopdoodle"), Crystal takes us along the winding byways of language.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Random but entertaining
- De Sean en 04-01-13
De: David Crystal
-
The Prodigal Tongue
- The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English
- De: Lynne Murphy
- Narrado por: Pam Ward
- Duración: 11 h y 38 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 47
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 45
"If Shakespeare were alive today, he'd sound like an American." "English accents are the sexiest." "Americans have ruined the English language." "Technology means everyone will have to speak the same English." Such claims about the English language are often repeated but rarely examined. Professor Lynne Murphy is on the linguistic front line. In The Prodigal Tongue she explores the fiction and reality of the special relationship between British and American English.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
TOO MUCH BITTERNESS
- De Tina en 08-27-20
De: Lynne Murphy
-
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
- The Untold History of English
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 5 h y 22 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 3,995
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 3,375
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 3,351
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great for casual linguists
- De Bertie en 01-11-10
De: John McWhorter
-
Words on the Move
- Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally)
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 7 h y 2 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,401
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,264
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,256
Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like? And have you ever wondered why some people from New Orleans sound as if they come from Brooklyn?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Review By a Fan
- De Margaret en 09-25-16
De: John McWhorter
-
The Mother Tongue
- De: Bill Bryson
- Narrado por: Stephen McLaughlin
- Duración: 10 h y 44 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,261
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,094
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 1,088
With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson - the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent - brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience, and sheer fun of the English language. From the first descent of the larynx into the throat (why you can talk but your dog can't) to the fine lost art of swearing, Bryson tells the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
More satire than history
- De Barbara Kindle Customer en 12-18-15
De: Bill Bryson
-
The Art of Language Invention
- From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves, the Words Behind World-Building
- De: David J. Peterson
- Narrado por: David J. Peterson
- Duración: 9 h y 23 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 87
From master language creator David J. Peterson comes a creative guide to language construction for sci-fi and fantasy fans, writers, game creators, and language lovers. Peterson offers a captivating overview of language creation, covering its history from Tolkien's creations and Klingon to today's thriving global community of conlangers.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great resource, but not conducive to audiobook
- De Ashley T. en 04-18-16
-
The Story of English in 100 Words
- De: David Crystal
- Narrado por: David Crystal
- Duración: 7 h y 56 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 268
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 231
In this unique new history of the world's most ubiquitous language, linguistics expert David Crystal draws on words that best illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences, and events that have helped to shape our vernacular since the first definitively English word was written down in the fifth century ("roe", in case you are wondering). Featuring Latinate and Celtic words, weasel words and nonce-words, ancient words ("loaf") to cutting edge ("twittersphere") and spanning the indispensable words that shape our tongue ("and", "what") to the more fanciful ("fopdoodle"), Crystal takes us along the winding byways of language.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Random but entertaining
- De Sean en 04-01-13
De: David Crystal
-
The Prodigal Tongue
- The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English
- De: Lynne Murphy
- Narrado por: Pam Ward
- Duración: 11 h y 38 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 47
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 45
"If Shakespeare were alive today, he'd sound like an American." "English accents are the sexiest." "Americans have ruined the English language." "Technology means everyone will have to speak the same English." Such claims about the English language are often repeated but rarely examined. Professor Lynne Murphy is on the linguistic front line. In The Prodigal Tongue she explores the fiction and reality of the special relationship between British and American English.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
TOO MUCH BITTERNESS
- De Tina en 08-27-20
De: Lynne Murphy
-
Words and Rules
- The Ingredients of Language
- De: Steven Pinker
- Narrado por: Arthur Morey
- Duración: 13 h y 59 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 165
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 141
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 145
First published in 2000, Words and Rules remains one of Pinker's most provocative and accessible books, illuminating the fascinating relationship between the brain, the mind, and how language makes us humans.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing how much irregular verbs can teach.
- De Tristan en 04-10-16
De: Steven Pinker
-
A Little History of the World
- De: E. H. Gombrich
- Narrado por: Ralph Cosham
- Duración: 9 h y 11 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 3,945
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 3,304
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 3,290
E. H. Gombrich's world history, an international best seller now available in English for the first time, is a text dominated not by dates and facts but by the sweep of experience across the centuries, a guide to humanity's achievements, and an acute witness to its frailties.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
an enlightening book; very well read
- De A.B.Oxford en 06-03-06
De: E. H. Gombrich
-
Born to Kvetch
- Yiddish Language and Culture in All of Its Moods
- De: Michael Wex
- Narrado por: Michael Wex
- Duración: 10 h y 22 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 174
-
Narración:4 out of 5 stars 93
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 93
As the main spoken language of the Jews for more than a thousand years, Yiddish has had plenty to lament, plenty to conceal. Its phrases and expressions paint a comprehensive picture of the mind-set that enabled the Jews of Europe to survive persecution: they never stopped kvetching about God, gentiles, children, and everything else.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating, but...
- De Christopher B. en 04-05-16
De: Michael Wex
-
The Glamour of Grammar
- De: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrado por: Roy Peter Clark
- Duración: 8 h y 55 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 56
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 37
Early in the history of English, glamour and grammar were the same word, linked to enchantment and magical spells. Now grammar brings to mind language bullies and bored-out-of-their-skulls students. Roy Peter Clark, one of America’s most influential writing teachers, wants to change that by putting the glamour back into grammar.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Wasteful
- De ABID en 12-05-13
De: Roy Peter Clark
-
You Say Potato: A Book About Accents
- De: Ben Crystal, David Crystal
- Narrado por: David Crystal, Ben Crystal, Jane Savage, y otros
- Duración: 7 h y 5 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 70
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 69
Some people say 'sconn' while others say 'schown'. He says 'bath' while she says 'bahth'. You say 'potayto'. I say 'potahto'. And - wait a second, no one says 'potahto'. No one's ever said 'potahto'. Have they? From reconstructing Shakespeare's accent to the rise and fall of received pronunciation, actor Ben Crystal and his linguist father, David, travel the world in search of the stories of spoken English.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Wish there were more native recordings.
- De Matt Dobler en 07-01-16
De: Ben Crystal, y otros
-
The Elements of Eloquence
- Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase
- De: Mark Forsyth
- Narrado por: Don Hagen
- Duración: 5 h y 29 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 1,719
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 1,543
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 1,515
In his inimitably entertaining and wonderfully witty style, he takes apart famous phrases and shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or quip like Oscar Wilde. Whether you’re aiming to achieve literary immortality or just hoping to deliver the perfect one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don’t need to have anything important to say - you simply need to say it well.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Who knew rhetoric could be so much fun?
- De Philo en 10-30-14
De: Mark Forsyth
-
The Pun Also Rises
- How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics
- De: John Pollack
- Narrado por: Pete Larkin
- Duración: 4 h y 57 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 60
-
Narración:4 out of 5 stars 55
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 53
The Pun Also Rises is an authoritative yet playful exploration of a practice that is common, in one form or another, to virtually every language on earth. At once entertaining and educational, this engaging book answers fundamental questions: Just what is a pun, and why do people make them? How did punning impact the development of human language, and how did that drive creativity and progress? And why, after centuries of decline, does the pun still matter?
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Punderful Little Book
- De B. Lane en 01-10-13
De: John Pollack
-
Poetry in Person
- Twenty-five Years of Conversation with America's Poets
- De: Lucille Clifton, Alexander Neubauer - editor, Eamon Grennan, y otros
- Narrado por: Alexander Neubauer
- Duración: 5 h y 55 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 48
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 42
This first audio edition of Poetry in Person: 25 Years of Conversation with America’s Poets (Knopf, 2010), invites listeners into an intimate classroom with eight acclaimed poets. Full of compelling, in-depth conversation about manuscripts and drafts by the poets themselves, plus readings of the finished poems, these historic recordings offer one of the most detailed portraits ever produced of how poems are actually made.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating
- De d en 08-28-16
De: Lucille Clifton, y otros
-
Semicolon
- The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark
- De: Cecelia Watson
- Narrado por: Pam Ward
- Duración: 3 h y 47 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 59
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 48
A pause-resisting, existential romp through the life and times of the world’s most polarizing punctuation mark. Through her rollicking biography of the semicolon, Watson writes a guide to grammar that explains why we don’t need guides at all and refocuses our attention on the deepest, most primary value of language: true communication.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Silly me; I thought it was about semicolons
- De Jeffrey D en 08-15-19
De: Cecelia Watson
-
How to Speak and Write Correctly
- De: Joseph Devlin
- Narrado por: Shawn Grisden
- Duración: 4 h y 27 m
- Versión completa
-
General4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Narración:4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Historia4.5 out of 5 stars 35
This book has no pretension about it whatever -- it is neither a Manual of Rhetoric, expatiating on the dogmas of style, nor a Grammar full of arbitrary rules and exceptions. It is merely an effort to help ordinary, everyday people to express themselves in ordinary, everyday language, in a proper manner.
De: Joseph Devlin
-
The Awful German Language
- De: Mark Twain
- Narrado por: Cathy Dobson
- Duración: 49 m
- Versión completa
-
General4 out of 5 stars 40
-
Narración:4 out of 5 stars 38
-
Historia4 out of 5 stars 38
Mark Twain's classic satire on the German language. A must read for anybody learning German or living in a German-speaking country. "The Germans have another kind of parenthesis, which they make by splitting a verb in two and putting half of it at the beginning of an exciting chapter and the other half at the end of it. Can anyone conceive of anything more confusing than that?"
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
This is a terrific piece of writing!
- De SandyJ en 05-24-13
De: Mark Twain
-
Memory Craft
- Improve Your Memory with the Most Powerful Methods in History
- De: Lynne Kelly
- Narrado por: Nancy Linari
- Duración: 8 h y 18 m
- Versión completa
-
General5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Narración:5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars 26
Groundbreaking anthropologist and memory champion Lynne Kelly reveals how we can use ancient and traditional mnemonic methods to enhance and expand our memory.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best
- De Phil F. en 01-31-22
De: Lynne Kelly
Lo que los oyentes dicen sobre Highly Irregular
Calificaciones medias de los clientesReseñas - Selecciona las pestañas a continuación para cambiar el origen de las reseñas.
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Carol J. Dallinger
- 03-31-24
Book content
Fascinating book about the origins of the strange and unusual spelling, words, and phrases used in the English language. Brilliantly and interestingly written and read by the author.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Brian
- 10-06-21
Hwæt the hell English
If you enjoy words or history or both this is a history of words in English about English by an English speaking non-Englishmen.
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Josh
- 05-13-22
So interesting!
Loved this book, the depth on some of the more specific quirks in English is honestly the perfect level of entertainment at certain times and this book nails it. To think I could I have studied linguistics and been able to enjoy this as a profession, I feel like I'm missing out!
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Homsy
- 10-06-21
Fabulous Book on Language
A fun and great book about the English Language. Loved the format and great bits of info that I have not seen anywhere else. I hope we have more books coming from this author!
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña
-
Total5 out of 5 stars
-
Ejecución5 out of 5 stars
-
Historia5 out of 5 stars
- Lana BStar
- 02-01-24
A fun romp through the ever changing English language!
This book is a delight. If you’ve ever enjoyed looking up the etymology of a word or phrase you will love this book. The author manages to make what to some might sound like a dry subject a highly entertaining and engaging listen! Also, I’m impressed that the author is such an excellent narrator -what an all-around talent!
Se ha producido un error. Vuelve a intentarlo dentro de unos minutos.
Has calificado esta reseña.
Reportaste esta reseña