Don't believe a word : the surprising truth about language /
"Everyone likes to think they know a bit about language: There are some words that you simply can't translate into English. The origin of a word tells you how it should be used. A dialect is inferior to a language. The problem is, none of these statements are true. In Don't Believe a...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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New York, N.Y. :
W. W. Norton & Company,
2020.
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| Edition: | First American edition. |
| Subjects: |
| Summary: | "Everyone likes to think they know a bit about language: There are some words that you simply can't translate into English. The origin of a word tells you how it should be used. A dialect is inferior to a language. The problem is, none of these statements are true. In Don't Believe a Word, linguist David Shariatmadari explodes nine common myths about language and introduces us to some of the fundamental insights of modern linguistics. By the end of this eye- opening tour, readers will understand that grammatical "errors" are in fact the foundation of modern English; that the meaning of a word is not what a dictionary says, but how it's used; and that the difference between what gets labelled a "language" or "dialect" is political, rather than scientific. Don't Believe a Word offers an accessible and thorough introduction to the science behind one of the most essential aspects of our daily life"-- |
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| Physical Description: | 324 pages ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 296-314) and index. |
| ISBN: | 9781324004257 1324004258 |