Product Description: This book provides the fullest account ever published of the external influences on English during the first thousand years of its formation. In doing so it makes profound contributions to the history of English and of western culture more generally...read more

Product Description: This volume explores the lexical influence of English on European languages, a topical theme with linguistic and cultural implications. It provides an extensive introductory background to a cross-national view of English-induced lexical borrowing, posing crucial analytical questions such as what counts as an Anglicism...read more

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 via the rude, the obscure, and the downright surprising.

Product Description: If you’ve ever wanted to add a little savoir faire to your badinage, or chutzpah to your spiel, then fear not, help is at hand. A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi is an entertaining jaunt through the legions of words, from aficionado to zeitgeist, that we English-speakers have pilfered from across the globe...read more

Lexicology is the branch of linguistics that studies all aspects of the vocabulary of a particular language. Serving as an introduction to the lexicology of modern English, this book provides an account of the sources of modern English words and studies the development of vocabulary over time. It examines what words are and how they are made up.

Looks at the evolution of the English language.

Provides the origins of familiar English words, and reveals the influences of British and Roman conquerers, Native American languages, the spread of Christianity, myths and legends, and cultural practices. (view table of contents)

An international tour of words that have shaped the English language explores the etymology of words such as paradise, siesta, geyser, justice, tattoo, and zombie, revealing their often fascinating origins in foreign cultures. (view table of contents)

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Product Description: Includes two audiocassettes. (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)