-
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
- The Untold History of English
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 5 h y 22 m
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There is something about the English language. Belonging to the Proto-Germanic language group, English has a structure that is oddly, weirdly different from other Germanic languages. In Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold Story of English, John McWhorter has achieved nothing less than a new understanding of the historic formation of the English language — in McWhorter’s words “a revised conception of what English is and why”. The linguist and public intellectual McWhorter accomplished this scholarly feat outside the tight restrictor box of academic publications. He did it with a popular book and thoroughly convincing arguments framed in richly entertaining, informal colloquial language.
The audiobook production of Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue takes McWhorter’s transformation of scholarship to a new level. The book is about the spoken word and how and why the English language’s structure — that is the syntax, and which linguists term the “grammar” — changed through time. McWhorter tells the story the way it should be told: in spoken English by a master of the subject of how the languages under study sounded. The author has a remarkable, animated narrative voice and his delivery has an engaging and captivating personal touch. He is a great teacher with a world-class set of pipes, who clearly has developed a special relationship with studio microphones.
McWhorter’s intent is “to fill in a chapter of The History of English that has not been presented to the lay public, partly because it is a chapter even scholars of English’s development have rarely engaged at length”. The changes of English under study are from spoken Old English before 787 C.E. and the Viking invasions and the Norman Conquest of 1066 to the Middle English of Chaucer’s time. (With Chaucer we are a hop, skip, and a jump away from the English we easily recognize today.) The influences that altered the language, in McWhorter’s new formulation, include how, beginning in 787 C.E., the Viking invaders “beat up the English language in the same way that we beat up foreign languages in class rooms”, and thus shed some of the English grammar, and the native British Celtic Welsh and Cornish “mixed their native grammars with English grammar”. After the Norman Invasion, French was the language of a relatively small ruling class and was thus the written language. But with the Hundreds Years’ War between England and France, English again became the ruling language, and the changes that had been created in spoken English found their way into written Middle English.
Listening to McWhorter articulate his points with his extraordinarily expressive, polemically powerful voice, and cutting through and continually upending the scrabble board of flabby etymological presumptions of the established view — it is like nothing you’ve ever heard. The audio edition of this groundbreaking work, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue – an otherwise scholarly study twice transformed into a popular book and then into the audiobook that gives such impressive expressive voice to the changes of the English language — is a milestone in audiobook production. —David Chasey
Resumen del Editor
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.)
Reseñas de la Crítica
"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)
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- Duración: 18 h y 15 m
- Grabación Original
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Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.
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You'll Never Look at Languages the Same Way Again
- De SAMA en 03-11-14
De: John McWhorter, y otros
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Talking Back, Talking Black
- Truths About America's Lingua Franca
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 4 h y 19 m
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Linguists have been studying Black English as a speech variety for years, arguing to the public that it is different from Standard English, not a degradation of it. Yet false assumptions and controversies still swirl around what it means to speak and sound "Black." In his first book devoted solely to the form, structure, and development of Black English, John McWhorter clearly explains its fundamentals and rich history while carefully examining the cultural, educational, and political issues that have undermined recognition of this transformative, empowering dialect.
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Very interesting look at Language Dialects in USA
- De Ambariffic en 05-16-19
De: John McWhorter
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Woke Racism
- How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America
- De: John McWhorter
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 5 h y 17 m
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Acclaimed linguist and award-winning writer John McWhorter argues that an illiberal neoracism, disguised as antiracism, is hurting Black communities and weakening the American social fabric.
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Thank You
- De Withacy en 10-26-21
De: John McWhorter
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Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet
- De: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 6 h y 18 m
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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.
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Fantastic narration & interesting content
- De Shelby en 06-06-23
De: John McWhorter, y otros
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Language Families of the World
- De: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrado por: John McWhorter
- Duración: 15 h y 54 m
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Professor John McWhorter of Columbia University takes you back through time and around the world, following the linguistic trails left by generations of humans that lead back to the beginnings of language. Utilizing historical theories and cutting-edge research, these 34 astonishing lectures will introduce you to the major language families of the world and their many offspring, including a variety of languages that are no longer spoken but provide vital links between past and present.
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Entertaining
- De Mark en 02-10-19
De: John McWhorter, y otros
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Words and Rules
- The Ingredients of Language
- De: Steven Pinker
- Narrado por: Arthur Morey
- Duración: 13 h y 59 m
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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.
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Amazing how much irregular verbs can teach.
- De Tristan en 04-10-16
De: Steven Pinker
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The Mother Tongue
- De: Bill Bryson
- Narrado por: Stephen McLaughlin
- Duración: 10 h y 44 m
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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.
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More satire than history
- De Barbara Kindle Customer en 12-18-15
De: Bill Bryson
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The Origins of English Words
- A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European Roots
- De: Joseph Twadell Shipley
- Narrado por: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Duración: 36 h y 35 m
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There are no direct records of the original Indo-European speech. By comparing the vocabularies of its various descendants, however, it is possible to reconstruct the basic Indo-European roots with considerable confidence. In The Origins of English Words, Shipley catalogues these proposed roots and follows the often devious, always fascinating, process by which some of their offshoots have grown.
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Soooooo boring
- De Koko B. en 07-08-24
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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
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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.
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Maddening! Does not work as an audiobook!
- De James en 01-05-16
De: Mark Forsyth
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Linguistics
- A Very Short Introduction
- De: P.H. Matthews
- Narrado por: James Conlan
- Duración: 3 h y 28 m
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Linguistics falls in the gap between arts and science, on the edges of which the most fascinating discoveries and the most important problems are found. Rather than following the conventional organization of many contemporary introductions to the subject, the author of this stimulating guide begins his discussion with the oldest, "arts" end of the subject and moves chronologically through to the newest research - the "science" aspects.
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Almost Impossible to Listen to Without Text
- De Drone Boy en 05-06-24
De: P.H. Matthews
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On Language
- Chomsky's Classic Works 'Language and Responsibility' and 'Reflections on Language'
- De: Noam Chomsky, Mitsou Ronat
- Narrado por: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Duración: 14 h y 58 m
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Described by the New York Times as "arguably the most important intellectual alive," Noam Chomsky is known throughout the world for his highly influential writings on language and politics. Featuring two of Chomsky's most popular and enduring books in one omnibus volume, On Language contains some of the noted linguist and political critic's most informal and accessible work to date, making it an ideal introduction to his thought.
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Difficult in audio format
- De Commuting Learner en 09-19-16
De: Noam Chomsky, y otros
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A Little History of the World
- De: E. H. Gombrich
- Narrado por: Ralph Cosham
- Duración: 9 h y 11 m
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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.
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an enlightening book; very well read
- De A.B.Oxford en 06-03-06
De: E. H. Gombrich
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The Story of English in 100 Words
- De: David Crystal
- Narrado por: David Crystal
- Duración: 7 h y 56 m
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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.
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Random but entertaining
- De Sean en 04-01-13
De: David Crystal
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Word Perfect
- Etymological Entertainment For Every Day of the Year
- De: Susie Dent
- Narrado por: Susie Dent
- Duración: 10 h y 59 m
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From 1st January to 31st December the listener will discover a curious coinage or a fascinating etymological fact linked to that particular day - from the dramatic true story behind stealing someone's thunder to the original Jack the Lad. Word Perfect gathers all her very best discoveries from the true origin of freelancer which comes from knights who were free to use their lance for whoever paid most, rather than being tied to a single lord. (Also secretaries kept your secrets so were secretries).
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I’ve played this book approximately 500 times…
- De DB en 03-12-22
De: Susie Dent
Lo que los oyentes dicen sobre Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
Calificaciones medias de los clientesReseñas - Selecciona las pestañas a continuación para cambiar el origen de las reseñas.
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- Lindsay
- 09-12-16
Best for those who understands languages
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
The whole story is interesting, but if you don't know the real mechanics of languages, you might not get much out of this
What three words best describe John McWhorter’s performance?
Animated. Informed. Enthusiastic.
Any additional comments?
I'm cursing myself for not paying better attention in English, and all the other languages I took in school. While I know I've heard these terms before (such as "Daitive"), I can't remember exactly what these terms mean. Alas, much of this book was sort of lost on me, and it's all my own fault.
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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas
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- Eric
- 04-08-13
Enjoyed this much more than I expected to
I grabbed this book on a whim based mainly on the amusing title, and because I've been enjoying some linguistics podcasts lately. I thought this might be mildly interesting, informative, and since it's relatively short, it would be easy to get through. My only disappointment was that it was over so quickly. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and find myself idly thinking about some of the points the author raises while going about my day to day business. Definitely worth the listen if linguistics, grammar or the history of language seem at all interesting to you. Well written, well narrated and much more interesting than this subject sounds like it will be.
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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas
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- beotherworldly
- 12-01-15
Awesome
I will read anything by John McWhorter. He is very knowledgeable without being overly pedantic.
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- Luke
- 05-31-18
Fascinating and accessible
I can't attest to the accuracy of anything written in this book, it being my first book on linguistics. I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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- Joie McClements
- 05-30-17
interesting to even a non linguist!
I enjoyed this book as much for the author's performance as for the information on the peculiarities of the English language. I recommend it for people who want to keep increasing in knowledge and are willing to have some of your firmly held ideas gently poked fun of. (Alas! is that a preposition at the end of the hat sentence!?)
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- Doug D. Eigsti
- 06-09-14
.....Liking This Book I Am Presently Doing.....
This is a delightful foray into linguistics that made the subject interesting even for a non-linguist like me. This made me consider things I was completely aware of. Knowing that languages construct sentences differently is not news; but knowing precisely what those difference are is revelatory. McWhorter attempts to trace many of the linguistic discrepancies between languages by examining the clues left behind. These clues are found in several places. Predictably, one source of evidence for tracing language usage is the written word, or as it is called in the field, “scripture.” Another is the spoken languages of various people groups whose word usage and grammatical sentence structure can be contrasted and compared to the record of historical migrations and conquests. Any military conquest in the ancient world apparently left behind not only a a trail of blood but also a trail of linguistic mingling that can be traced.. One unexpected source of information is that linguists try to reconstruct various “proto” languages from circumstantial evidence alone. Many dead languages have no written record, no scripture, but can be reconstructed, partially at least, by examining the cultures they were able to influence. I learned a lot from this book. It is an enjoyable introduction to the history of the English language.
His relaxed understanding of the manner in which grammar morphs over time gives me license to write in a style that seems right to me. Rules are made to be broken.
John McWhorter reads his own book. Surprisingly, he is able add inflection to his voice that makes the text seem to be coming out of his memory rather than from the page. His delivery is very enjoyable and often graduates from the merely precise and understandable to the engaging and even entertaining.
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- John
- 02-16-13
Interesting Short History of the English Language
This was a pretty enjoyable book that makes some interesting connections about the history of the English language. As someone who has tried (with only moderate success) to learn German, it helps explain why English, although a Germanic language, is so "un-German." I found some of the author's conclusions more plausible than others, but they are all presented in an entertaining fashion.
The narration is good. McWhorter comes across as a very opinionated and very capable college professor giving an impassioned lecture, maybe with just a little too much caffeine. If you don't like opinionated, then maybe this is not for you, but I give him high marks because he is not boring.
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- Robert Weide
- 08-14-20
Another great one from McWhorter
Fascinating history of the English language. Well cited, well argued and terribly entertaining as always.
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- snickzr
- 01-19-20
John McWhorter is a wonderful, eloquent author
His expertise stretches from language as it relates to racial and cultural phenomena to language in it's own essence. Always eloquent, sometimes academic, often humorous. A pleasure to read
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- Marcie
- 10-27-20
McWhorter makes linguistics humorous
Let's face it John McWhorter is a national treasure. Listened to this book with my husband as we were on a long road trip. Never imagined I would be so interested in the Celtic origins of "ing". McWhorter reads the text (good job professor) in that world-weary yet compassionate dead pan style of his. And he manages to make rather dry material seem funny while never cutting corners or being superficial. Go McWhorter go!
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