How English became the No. 1 world language

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	• The Mother Tongue Bill Bryson Harper Perennial, 1991 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 121 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

candy for English nerds

The fascinating, humorous, and engaging tale of how the English language grew from the peasant amalgamation of French and German (an easy, simple, and straightforward language without gendered articles) to a multimillion-dollar language spoken the world-over. Chockfull of intriguing trivia (why we can choke also is why we can talk) and important explanations (why our language has more flexibility, more words, and more intricacy than most others, but also why its spelling and grammar is so illogically insane). A great read for any English-nerd. I couldn't put this book down, and I keep recommending it to everyone I know. Grade: A+

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Fun and instructive

If you ever wondered why some things happen in the English language the way they do, or why do some apparently inexplicable differences arise between British English, American English and many other "Englishes", then this a book for you. Even though the author is no linguist, he certainly is an accomplished writer, and produced a very interesting book: fun to read and instructive at the same time. The writing style is so attractive, in fact, that it keeps you reading even when the subject itself is a bit too far-fetched or too technical. Overall, it is a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in languages, their history and evolution.

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How English became the No. 1 world language

I have read this book several times and immensely enjoy it every time. Most of us that speak it rarely stop to think where and how its rich texture and depth came about as well as the many oddities and inconsistencies that are embedded in English. Bill Bryson does a fabulous and amusing job of tracing the history and shedding light on the reasons why. He does as always makes light work of a potentially heavy subject. A must read for any lover of the Bard's language

Ever wonder why is English screwed up?

If so, this is the book for you. Bryson takes you on a humorous and fascinating journey through the history of English, and explains the sources of many idiosyncrasies of the language, including odd spellings, irregular verbs, plural nouns like mouse/mice, and more. If you have ever felt stupid because you couldn't remember whether to spell something with ie or ei, this is the book for you -- your self-esteem will improve after reading this book: It isn't your fault, it's this crazy language!

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Peters out after awhile

The first half of this book is an eminently enjoyable breeze through the history of the English language, and its roots in Scandinavia, Germany, and French, as well as a fun romp through the way English spelling and grammar changed over time. Unfortunately, as the book went on, it started to lose steam and the thesis started getting stretched pretty thin. I managed to slog through and finish it, but I can't recommend it.

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