A Mouthful of Air: Languages and Language, Especially English
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Yeats once wrote of a poem, saying he had made it out of a mouthful of air. Burgess advances this point by presenting a fascinating survey of language—how it operates, and how it will develop in the future—that ranges from Shakespearean pronunciation to the place of English in the world family of languages.
Liked A Mouthful of Air: Languages and Language, Especially English? Here’s where I’d start.
These suit anyone who liked A Mouthful of Air: Languages and Language, Especially English. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.
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The Loom of Language: An Approach to the Mastery of Many Languages Shares language, linguistics, nonfiction -
Takarazuka: Sexual Politics & Popular Culture in Modern Japan Shares nonfiction -
In Other Words: A Language Lover's Guide to the Most Intriguing Words Around the World Shares language, nonfiction, linguistics -
The English Language: A Guided Tour of the Language Shares language, linguistics, nonfiction
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Why is Q Always Followed by U?: Word-Perfect Answers to the Most Asked Questions About Language
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The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations: The Complete Opinionated Guide for the Careful Speaker
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The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
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You Are What You Speak: Grammar Grouches, Language Laws, and the Politics of Identity
