• Dialects and the Fallacy of Blackboard Grammar

  • By: John McWhorter
  • Narrated by: John McWhorter
  • Length: 30 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (37 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Dialects and the Fallacy of Blackboard Grammar  By  cover art

Dialects and the Fallacy of Blackboard Grammar

By: John McWhorter
Narrated by: John McWhorter
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $4.95

Buy for $4.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Understanding language change and how languages differ helps us see that what is often labeled "wrong" about people's speech is, in fact, a misanalysis.

From The Story of Human Language course. 

©2004 The Great Courses (P)2004 The Great Courses
  • Miscellaneous
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Dialects and the Fallacy of Blackboard Grammar

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    20
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    20
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    18
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb -- in both content and delivery !!!

I have long been a fan of McWhorter, after first reading "Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English".

This short lecture is equally satisfying, and thoroughly enjoyable!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Something for everyone

John McWhorter delivers a brilliant half-hour intro to how language works in the real world while not abandoning general concepts of why we have languages of convention. Entertaining while educating. Insightful without drifting into pedantics.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Natural speech isn't improper; language changes

Wonderful, intuitive look at the way we speak & how many things aren't "wrong" :-)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very informative!

It really opens up my mind, after having tried so hard to speak English the way I was taught. Knowing how there are so many ways to speak this language really got amazed at how far it has evolved over centuries and over lands.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!