With that said, few people actually speak the standard variety and most language represents a dialect. Language is one of the defining characteristics that makes humans human. How language works is a masterful book on everything related to language. David crystal is honorary professor of linguistics at the university of wales, bangor. The language crystal october 1988 edition open library. Broad and deep, but with a light and witty touch, how language works is the ultimate laymans guide to how we communicate with one another. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He moves effortlessly from big subjects like the origins of languages, how children learn to speak. How language works isbn 9781583332917 pdf epub david. This acclaimed book by david crystal is available at in several formats for your ereader. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. Along the way we find out about eyebrow flashes, whistling languages, how parents teach their children to speak, how politeness travels across languages and how the way. In 73 chapters crystal covers everything from how we transmit sounds to how conversation works. Crystal succeeds again and again with clarity, wit, and enthusiasm.
A world authority on language, crystal the stories of english offers an impeccably organized guide to language and communication that brings clarity to a. Crystal has authored, coauthored, and edited over 120 books on a wide variety of subjects, specialising among other things in editing reference works, including as author the cambridge encyclopedia of language 1987, 1997, 2010 and the cambridge encyclopedia of the english language 1995, 2003, 2019, and as editor the cambridge biographical dictionary, the. When i first began reading david crystal s how language works, i was a. But because its such a fundamental concept, we rarely take the time to think about where it comes from or how it evolves.
What is the function of saying go, gators as a greeting to someone the day before a game. How language works by david crystal used very good. He has published over ninety books, most recently the stories of english, and is the editor of the penguin encyclopaedia. David crystal s classic english as a global language considers the history, present status and future of the english language, focusing on its role as the leading international language. David crystal has 142 books on goodreads with 44293 ratings.
But as linguist crystal makes clear, language is an extremely powerful tool that defines the human species. How language works by david crystal overdrive rakuten. Eight of the best books about the english language. The recordings that are part of this book can be heard at audio on this website. Yet we seem to take our own astonishing linguistic powers for grantedthe ability to speak, listen, and understand, to read and write. Born in lisburn, northern ireland in 1941, he spent his early years in holyhead.
Crystal offers general readers a personal tour of the intricate workings of language. The book is the perfect onevolume introduction to the study of language. David crystal now lives in holyhead, where he works as a writer, lecturer and consultant on language and linguistics, and a reference books editor. How does a reference book, such as a manual on car repair, differ from ordinary daily communication. In how language works, david crystal maps out a comprehensive introduction to oral and written communication, from the physical properties of humans that allow us to speak, to the nuanced evolution of language itself. On the contrary, it improves childrens writing and spelling. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published.
David crystal books list of books by author david crystal. All the books below are recommended as readalikes for david crystal but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. From eyebrow flashes to whistling languages, from baby talk to why the grocers apostrophe isnt such a bad thing after all, how language works sheds light on the endless mysteries of the. His family moved to liverpool in 1951, and he received his secondary schooling at st marys college.
When i first began reading david crystal s how language works, i was. In june 1995 he was awarded the obe for services to the english language. What is an affix in english grammar and morphology. David crystal, world authority on the english language, presents a lively and factual account of the rise of english as a global language and explores the whys and wherefores of the history, current status and future potential of english as the international language of communication. How language works by david crystal penguin books australia. But it is about how we talk about music, cookery, and sexor, indeed, anything at all. In 1995, he was awarded the obe for services to the english language. A 2019 revision by david crystal and derek davy of the book first published in 1976 and long outofprint. Answering questions about the nuts and bolts of language, this is a survey of nearly everything from how sounds become speech to how names work.
These and hundreds of other questions are answered in renowned linguist david crystal s brilliant tour through the fascinating world of language. Each chapter is a selfcontained section with references to other sections. David crystal, penguin books, london, 2006, 486pp, isbn 978 0 141 01552 1. David crystal s how language works is a fascinating tour through the world of language from one of todays most renowned experts. The language crystal by lawrence lyons, october 1988, grammar publishing edition, paperback in english.
The book will prove, to language geeks, invaluable. Each chapter is a selfcontained section with references to. David crystal s most popular book is the story of english in 100 words. English has been deemed the most successful language ever, with 1500 million speakers internationally, presenting a difficult task to those who wish to. It ranges over everything from how children learn to read to what makes words rude or polite, from eyebrow flashes to whistling languages. After beginning with spoken and written language, crystal moves on to sign language, language structure, discourse, dialects, language families, and multilingualism. In this fascinating survey of everything from how sounds become speech to how names work, david crystal answers every question you might ever have had about the nuts and bolts of language in his usual highly illuminating way.
Crystal succeeds again and again with clarity, wit, and enthusiasm time and again a point is made and illustrated with a fact or anecdote that perfectly drives it homeit is marvelous ride. Language is so fundamental to everyday life that we take it for granted. Despite doomladen prophecies, texting has not been the disaster for language many feared, argues linguistics professor david crystal. He uses the example of nation, which can become national as well as nationalize, nationalization, or denationalization.
Books by david crystal author of the story of english in. These blinks examine the historical and personal origins of language and the many different ways it affects our daily lives. No list of accessible books about the english language would be complete without one of david crystal s many highly readable books on the subject. The term dialect is often used to characterize any way of speaking that differs from the standard variety of a language which is largely considered to be dialectfree. How language works by david crystal, paperback barnes.
We all understand why language works we have to communicate to surviveand now david crystal, the world authority on language, shows us how. See all books authored by david crystal, including the cambridge encyclopedia of language, and the cambridge encyclopedia of the english language, and more on. David works from his home in holyhead, north wales, as a writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster. Publication date 2006 topics linguistics, language and languages publisher overlook press. Hes probably the best writer on the english language publishing today. Also by david crystal see all books by david crystal. The book also includes diagrams of the human tongue, ear, and brain. In the authors own words, how language works is not about music, cookery, or, isbn 9781583332917 buy the how language works ebook. So look for the suggested readalikes by title linked on the right. Still, affixes can often be stacked together in clusters to create complex words much more easily than compounds can, as david crystal explains in his 2006 book, how language works. But as david crystal makes clear in this work of unprecedented scope, language is an extremely powerful tool that defines the human species.
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