In this entertaining journey exploring the facts, foibles and sheer charm of English, Richard Watson Todd contemplates everything from the origins of words to their erratic spellings and unexpected uses. Much Ado About English strolls through the vast landscape of the English language and wanders down its most illogical, peculiar and idiosyncratic byways.
It ranges from where words have come from and how they’ve changed, to why spelling and pronunciation don’t match up, and the myriad ways we use this flexible and fascinating language. Whether your interest is neologisms or pleonasms, sobriquets or oxymorons, tongue twisters or palindromes, this light-hearted and engaging book shows why there has been, is and always will be Much Ado About English.
It ranges from where words have come from and how they’ve changed, to why spelling and pronunciation don’t match up, and the myriad ways we use this flexible and fascinating language. Whether your interest is neologisms or pleonasms, sobriquets or oxymorons, tongue twisters or palindromes, this light-hearted and engaging book shows why there has been, is and always will be Much Ado About English.
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Reviews
Ostrobogulously loquacious, linguistically ostentatious: a peregrination through pages of percurrent pleasure. A fun book and very rewarding to read.