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The Library holds some twenty books by language expert David Crystal, most of them focusing on various aspects of the English language. The author, who is considered to be the foremost expert on our mother tongue, is honorary professor of linguistics at the University of Wales. He has actually written over 100 books and works as a writer, editor, lecturer and broadcaster. The general reader is sure to find Crystal’s books a delight to delve into and explore.
Spell It Out: the Curious, Enthralling, and Extraordinary Story of English Spelling, St. Martin’s Press, 2013 (421.52 C95)
Crystal demonstrates how spelling can be an “adventure”, as the written English language did not simply evolve over time. The author traces a series of practical decisions made by scribes, monks, compositors and modern scholars to bring about changes in spelling. The author provides solid and well written explanations and stories with detailed facts that explain why English spelling gradually transformed into what we have today. Each chapter covers a topic, such as “building the alphabet” or “new sounds in old places”, that examines several spelling variations in that realm.
The Story of English in 100 Words, St. Martin’s Press, 2012 (422 C95)
In this entertaining history of words spanning from the 5th to the 21st century, linguistics expert David Crystal draws on one hundred words that best illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences and events that have helped to shape the English language. The book is comprised of one hundred chapters or essays. Each features a particular word which itself is often a lead-in to discussing other thematically related words. For instance, the final chapter, “Twittersphere”, examines the various ways that new words are formed. Since each essay is self contained, one can flip to just about any page in the book to start exploring a new topic.
Words, Words, Words, Oxford University Press, 2006 (401 C95)
The author offers a number of interesting takes on "the universe of words”, the first part of his lively book. Subsequent parts deal with the origins, diversity, evolution, spellings, regional and social variations, oddities, complexities, and the simple enjoyment of words. The final section of the book: “Becoming a Word Detective” explores how to find out the history of a word or the meaning of names. In between, enjoy perusing chapters entitled ‘wordlore’, ‘wordbirths’, ‘worddeaths’, ‘wordmelodies’, and ‘wordgames’ to name just a few, where the author delights in discussing a host of written and spoken word forms and variations such as taboo words and spoonerisms.
How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meanings, and Languages Live or Die, The Overlook Press, 2006. (417 C95)
The content of this book is broader in scope than the aforementioned titles that focus on the English language. This comprehensive guide is organized into short chapters that cover just about every aspect of language and communication. For example, the author addresses how we learn to speak, read, and write, how we choose what to say, how gestures and tone of one’s voice effects communication, and how language tells us where we are from. Background knowledge in linguistic study is not a prerequisite in order to enjoy reading this work.
