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The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

by Bill Bryson
$8.90 Now $8.26 Save 7%
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

Entertaining journey through English language evolution.

If you love words and their quirky histories, "The Mother Tongue" would be like a playground for your intellect. Bill Bryson manages to infuse humor into the labyrinthine paths of English, bringing to light both its absurdities and genius. Diving into this book is like attending the most interesting lecture on language you could imagine, one that transforms what could be a dry subject into a series of delightful anecdotes.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
New
Sale

The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

by Bill Bryson
$8.90 Now $8.26 Save 7%
ISBN: 9780380715435
Authors: Bill Bryson
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Date of Publication: 1991-09-28
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: History, Travel, Science
Related Topics: Reference, History, Popular Science
Goodreads rating: 3.91
(rated by 41488 readers)

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Description

Only Bill Bryson could make a book about the English language so entertaining. With his boundless enthusiasm and restless eye for the absurd, this is his astonishing tour of English. From its mongrel origins to its status as the world's most-spoken tongue; its apparent simplicity to its deceptive complexity; its vibrant swearing to its uncertain spelling and pronunciation; Bryson covers all this as well as the many curious eccentricities that make it as maddening to learn as it is flexible to use. Bill Bryson's classic Mother Tongue is a highly readable and hilarious tale of how English came to be the world's language.
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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Similar Reads

Entertaining journey through English language evolution.

If you love words and their quirky histories, "The Mother Tongue" would be like a playground for your intellect. Bill Bryson manages to infuse humor into the labyrinthine paths of English, bringing to light both its absurdities and genius. Diving into this book is like attending the most interesting lecture on language you could imagine, one that transforms what could be a dry subject into a series of delightful anecdotes.

Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.